Sometimes being rich and famous and running the world's most popular social networking site isn't all roses and cream, even if you have time to set up a book club and learn Mandarin better than some who grew up hearing the language around the dinner table.
Sometimes being Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder and CEO, must be a big pain though it's likely the social network innovator has plenty of legal eagles to keep most court actions at bay and not interrupting his work-life balance.
But there is one current court action Zuckerberg can't duck from and has already supposedly been deposed. If the allegations prove true, he is also likely ruing the day he supposedly made what comes down to a huge social network promise.
And therein lies the irony of the court battle: a one-time neighbor claims Zuckerberg never delivered on a promise to introduce him to important people as part of a land sale deal.
According to numerous reports, Mircea Voskerician, a local developer, is asking a court to force Zuckerberg to release personal financial data, such as net worth, as part of the lawsuit.
Voskerician claims he went to contract to buy a house adjoining Zuckerberg's Palo Alto residence for $4.8 million and reportedly told Zuckerberg he was thinking of building a huge home, which would give him a clear view into Zuckerberg's master bedroom. At some point he reportedly offered to sell a small part of the property to Zuckerberg to avoid that potential issue.
Voskerician's legal claim details a meeting that took place on Dec. 4, 2012 attended by Zuckerberg, Voskerician and real estate agents for both parties. During that meeting Voskerician supposedly offered to the sell the entire parcel to Zuckerberg. In exchange, according to Voskerician, Zuckerberg offered to introduce him to well known and important people, individuals who had potential to be future clients. The social network promise also came with a much lower property sale price.
On this past Wednesday Voskerician filed documents he claims corroborates his suit. One is supposedly a sworn declaration by Voskerician's broker at the meeting, John Forsyth James.
"He [Zuckerberg] indicated that he would refer Mr. Voskerician to others and promote him through his connections, his friends, clients of Facebook and others that Mr. Zuckerberg knew to be influential," states James' declaration.
It also makes note that Zuckerberg's real estate agent, Terri Kerwin, who was also at the meeting, told Voskerician "Mark always keeps his promises."
Zuckerberg reportedly paid Voskerician $1.7 million for the property. The trouble, claims James' declaration, is that "Ultimately, Mr. Zuckerberg failed to honor his promise" regarding the social network activity.
In response, Zuckerberg's attorney Patrick Gunn has stated Voskerician is "going out of his way to embarrass Mr. Zuckerberg and pressure those around him at every turn," and that Voskerician's claims "have no merit" and that Zuckerberg intends to defend them "vigorously."
