Arianna Huffington Sued For Allegedly Causing $275k Worth of Damage to Rented Chelsea Loft

Huffington Post President and Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington is being accused of allegedly ransacking her rented Chelsea loft in January, according to a new lawsuit, reported the NY Post Monday.

The Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit claims Huffington, 62, bloodied mattresses, broke appliances, “gouged, stained” walls, and “scratched, punctured” the loft’s wood floors, causing a total of $275,000 worth of damages.

Huffington Post Director of Communications Rhoades Alderson tolds IBTimes Tuesday that the lawsuit allegations are "totally false."

The lawsuit says Huffington was using the apartment for business functions and parties and allowed one of her two daughters to live in the 4,400-square-foot loft, which breached the sublease regulations.

“Dishwasher racks, stove knobs and a refrigerator drawer were broken and had to be replaced,” said the owner of the loft, Eric Steel, who said Huffington is also responsible for destroying his “irreplaceable” dining room table designed by Steel’s architect step-dad, Charles Gwathmey.

“The Gwathmey-designed, custom-made dining room table was damaged and scratched and the finish compromised. It has to be crated, hoisted out of the apartment and repaired by the original manufacturer,” said Steel.

Huffington responded to the claims stating the only factual information in the lawsuit was the apartment’s address and the square footage.

“Eric Steel, who happily renewed the lease twice and visited the apartment multiple times, is holding onto $93,000 in deposits, which he has refused to return,” said Huffington in a statement accusing Steel of trying to extort money from her by making the claims that she calls “ludicrous.”

Huffington was reportedly paying $27,000 a month to rent the Chelsea loft.