A celebrity trainer had two Manhattan men seeing the wrong kind of stars, court papers say.
In papers filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Michael Berro and Matthew Spritz say they were pummeled by trainer Harley Pasternak during a bizarre dispute at a gym in a luxury Chelsea apartment building.
“Yeah, that’s right, I just spanked you guys,” the suit says Pasternak – whose clients have reportedly included Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna – taunted afterwards.
The suit says the attack happened around 7 pm this past January 29th, when Pasternak interrupted a three on three basketball game that included Berro and Spritz to “inquire about the availability of the court.” They had a “tense, but brief and generally polite” conversation, the filing says.
But when they were done with the game, the 6’ foot, 200 lb. Pasternak went up to the 5’6, 140 lb. Berro “and began to hurl insults at him while pointing his finger in a threatening and aggressive way.”
Spritz told him to back off – and got sucker-punched, the suit says. Pasternak then tried to put him a headlock – and when Berros attempted to pull him off, the “5-Factor Diet” author punched him in the mouth, the suit says.
“Nice face,” Pasternak allegedly told the bleeding Berros. “Want to go again?” He then taunted, “I just smashed you.”
Pasternak was charged with assault, and took a plea deal that required him to take an anger management course. The charge will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble until December.
Berros, who was a neighbor of Pasternak’s in the W. 24th Street building, and Spritz say they suffered “serious and permanent injuries to their head, face and jaw” from the attack. They’re seeking money damages for Pasternak’s “malicious, outrageous, offensive and intentional conduct.”
Pasternak and his lawyer declined comment