{"id":472311,"date":"2022-07-09T16:26:06","date_gmt":"2022-07-09T13:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/taja-abitbol-denies-setting-fire-for-real-housewives-bid\/"},"modified":"2022-07-09T16:26:06","modified_gmt":"2022-07-09T13:26:06","slug":"taja-abitbol-denies-setting-fire-for-real-housewives-bid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/taja-abitbol-denies-setting-fire-for-real-housewives-bid\/","title":{"rendered":"#Taja Abitbol denies setting fire for &#8216;Real Housewives&#8217; bid"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41150a9f6cf\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41150a9f6cf\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/taja-abitbol-denies-setting-fire-for-real-housewives-bid\/#%E2%80%9CTaja_Abitbol_denies_setting_fire_for_%E2%80%98Real_Housewives_bid%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Taja Abitbol denies setting fire for &#8216;Real Housewives&#8217; bid&#8221;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CTaja_Abitbol_denies_setting_fire_for_%E2%80%98Real_Housewives_bid%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Taja Abitbol denies setting fire for &#8216;Real Housewives&#8217; bid&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Taja Abitbol wears many hats: mom, partner, entrepreneur, restaurateur. But she insists that she\u2019s no fire starter.<\/p>\n<p>This week, The Post reported that Abitbol, the longtime girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, has been accused by a former neighbor in a lawsuit of starting a fire at the couple\u2019s Manhattan apartment \u2014 allegedly in a bid to land a role on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Speaking exclusively to The Post, Abitbol, 50, denied the allegations. \u201cThis is just a vendetta against me, it\u2019s jealousy,\u201d she said. \u201c[The neighbor] is accusing me of being an arsonist. That\u2019s insane, and it\u2019s defamatory.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Abitbol, on the morning of Nov. 9, 2019, she lit a sage candle for her morning meditation in the dining room of her and Cone\u2019s four-bedroom apartment in Lincoln Square.<\/p>\n<p>As she said her prayers, Abitbol explained, the candle went up in flames, setting off the building\u2019s sprinklers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-07.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Abitbol now lives in Miami with son Sammy and dog Billy, while Cone travels between Miami and his work in New York. \" class=\"wp-image-22979950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-07.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1366 1366w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-07.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-07.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-07.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>Abitbol now lives in Miami with son Sammy and dog Billy, while Cone <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a>s between Miami and his work in New York. <\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI had never used this candle before,\u201d said Abitbol: \u201cAnd it had actual sage leaves inside the candle \u2014 I did not know that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did not leave it unattended, but the sage somehow sparked and it went up in flames, but it didn\u2019t cause a [big] fire. The sprinklers went off and the building [staff] couldn\u2019t get the sprinklers to turn off. They had to break the hose to turn the water off. I was standing in water up to my knees.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The NYPD and FDNY were called \u201cim<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely\u201d to the incident, which was later ruled an accident, Abitbol said. A report by the fire department obtained by The Post confirmed this.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-01.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Abitbol met Cone at her old restaurant, Taja.\" class=\"wp-image-22980003\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1366 1366w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>Abitbol met Cone at her old restaurant, Taja.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images for The David Cone<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t you think they would know if it had been set deliberately?\u201d she said. \u201cI would have been arrested and sent to jail!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She, Cone, their 10-year-old son, Sammy, and the family dog left the apartment and haven\u2019t lived there since.<\/p>\n<p>On her way out, Abitbol managed to grab important documents like passports and her son\u2019s birth certificate, but has not seen the bulk of her belongings since 2019, she said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"682\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-02.jpg?w=682\" alt=\"New York Yankees pitcher David Cone walks off the field after the seventh inning against the Oakland Athletics Monday, Sept. 2, 1996 in Oakland, Calif.\" class=\"wp-image-22986884\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1023 1023w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=682 682w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\"\/><figcaption>David Cone won four World <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Series<\/a> championships with the New York Yankees.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/Lacy Atkins<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-01.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Taja Abitbol, (Photographed on location in Miami beach, FL) the girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, who was sued for starting a fire at the couple\u2019s Manhattan apartment in a bid to land a role on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City. July 7, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-22986886\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>Taja Abitbol accused her neighbor Daniel Rice of targeting her because of David Cone\u2019s celebrity in the Big <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">App<\/a>le.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt was the worst time of my life \u2026 I had to pick my son up from school that day and tell him we were not going home. It was a horror show,\u201d Abitbol said. \u201cWe\u2019ve gone through hell, and now I\u2019m being sued nearly four years later.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to the lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court on July 1 by her downstairs neighbor Daniel Rice, the sprinklers significantly damaged his apartment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDaniel Rice is the real victim here. We take these types of claims very seriously, he takes them seriously, and he has been placed in a position where he had to act,\u201d said his attorney Jonathan Temchin of Tarter Krinsky &amp; Drogin.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-cone-apartment.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Abitbol Abitbol said the fire did not cause as much damage as the building's sprinklers did. Cone are being sued by the neighbor beneath their apartment for water damage from a small fire.\" class=\"wp-image-22980023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-cone-apartment.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-cone-apartment.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-cone-apartment.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Abitbol said the fire did not cause as much damage as the building\u2019s sprinklers did.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Google Maps<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rice also claimed in the lawsuit that Abitbol and Cone \u201cdeliberately, knowingly, intentionally and\/or recklessly \u2026 caused the fire \u2026 in order for Abitbol to have a story to discuss on the \u2018Tamron Hall Show\u2019 and\/or to advance Abitbol\u2019s candidacy as a castmate for the Real Housewives of New York [City] television show, among other things.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbitbol\u2019s desire for fame and notoriety is well-known,\u201d Rice\u2019s lawsuit \u2014 which Abitbol only found when a sports fan alerted her to it over Instagram \u2014 alleged.<\/p>\n<p>Abitbol confirmed to The Post that she has spoken to Bravo execs in the past \u2014 and is close friends with a slew of \u201cHousewives\u201d stars, including New Jersey\u2019s Teresa Giudice and Cynthia Bailey from the Atlanta show.  As to whether she wants to be on the show, she said: \u201cWhy not!\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-02.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"The family left the apartment the day of the fire and have not lived there since.\" class=\"wp-image-22980075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1366 1366w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>The family left the apartment the day of the fire and have not lived there since.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Still, \u201cOne thing has nothing to do with the other,\u201d Abitbol said, adding she has never met Rice. \u201cThis was a defective candle, it was a pure accident.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bailey was actually on her way to NYC to stay with Abitbol for a few days when she heard the apartment had flooded. \u201cTaja was completely devastated,\u201d said Bailey: \u201cShe couldn\u2019t even talk on the phone. She was a mess \u2026 trying to figure out where she and her family were going to live.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Abitbol, who grew up in Queens, added that the last time she went back to the rental property was in late 2019 to collect her family\u2019s belongings and meet with insurance agents and building management. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-11.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Abitbol, who grew up in Queens, recently opened Taja Drip, a luxury wellness center in Miami offering vitamin\u00a0IV infusions.\" class=\"wp-image-22980103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-11.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-11.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-11.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Abitbol, who grew up in Queens, recently opened Taja Drip, a luxury wellness center in Miami offering vitamin IV infusions.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Abitbol and Cone now split their time between their Florida home and NYC. Cone, 59, retired from baseball in 2003 and is now a color commentator on ESPN and the YES Network. Abitbol recently opened <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tajadrip\/?hl=en\">Taja Drip<\/a>, a luxury wellness center in Miami offering vitamin IV infusions, based out of trendy South Beach hotel Faena, and has also started a skin care range and supplement line.<\/p>\n<p>She believes that her former neighbor is targeting her family because of Cone\u2019s status: \u201cThis guy is looking to sue me because David is a New York legend \u2014 he doesn\u2019t deserve this, the poor guy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The two first met at her former restaurant Taja \u2014 a French Moroccan place in the Upper East Side that closed in 2007 \u2014 and then again at a holiday party in 2010. She said they are \u201clongtime engagees\u201d but have never wed. She has owned four restaurants in total, three in NYC and one in Las Vegas, but all are now shuttered.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-04.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Taja Abitbol, (Photographed on location in Miami beach, FL) the girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, who was sued for starting a fire at the couple\u2019s Manhattan apartment in a bid to land a role on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\" class=\"wp-image-22986891\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-04.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-04.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-04.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>A Bravo source claims Taja Abitbol hasn\u2019t reached out on possibly being on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"701\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-01.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Since retiring from the field, Cone is now a color commentator on ESPN and the YES network.\" class=\"wp-image-22980119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-yankees-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Since retiring from the field, Cone is now a color commentator on ESPN and the YES network.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Rice,  who is suing both Abitbol and Cone for at least $320,000 in damages, claimed in his lawsuit the couple \u201cnegligently and wantonly left candles burning in Unit 14B which started a fire and caused significant damage to Unit 12G.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The damage from the blaze and water sprinklers forced him to carry out a \u201cgut renovation\u201d of the home, the lawsuit claims, during which time he was forced to find \u201calternative temporary living arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit notes that Rice, an Army vet, received a Purple Heart when he was injured by an improvised explosive device in 2005 after serving multiple tours in the Middle East. He is currently serving as the Special Advisor to Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General<\/a> Valeriy Zaluzhnyy in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the court papers said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-03.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Taja Abitbol, (Photographed on location in Miami beach, FL) the girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, who was sued for starting a fire at the couple\u2019s Manhattan apartment in a bid to land a role on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\" class=\"wp-image-22986889\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-03.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Taja Abitbol said she was horrified to tell her son, Sammy, they weren\u2019t going back home after the 2019 fire incident.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-10.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Taja Abitbol, (Photographed on location in Miami beach, FL) the girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, who was sued for starting a fire at the couple\u2019s Manhattan apartment in a bid to land a role on \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City.\" class=\"wp-image-22986894\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-10.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-10.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-10.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>Daniel Rice alleges Taja Abitbol and David Cone purposely started a fire in their Manhattan apartment for a publicity stunt.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-mets-01.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Pitcher David Cone pitches in the 6th inning during the Mets vs. Phillies baseball game at Veterans Stadium Wednesday May 28, 2003 in Philadelphia, PA.\" class=\"wp-image-22986883\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-mets-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-mets-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/cone-mets-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>David Cone pitched for the New York Mets in 2003 before retiring.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Don Murray<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Post has reached out to Rice\u2019s attorney for comment.<\/p>\n<p>Abitbol\u2019s attorney, celebrity favorite Stephanie Ovadia, confirmed to The Post this week that she had filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court of New York in November 2021 against the Chinese manufacturer of the candle, The Sunny Factory LLC. The Post has seen the filing.<\/p>\n<p>Abitbol originally bought the Magnificent 101 Sage Leaf Energy Cleansing Candle for $13.49 on Amazon.com. Ovadia said Abitbol brought the suit in an attempt to get back funds that her insurance didn\u2019t cover. They have yet to hear back from the manufacturer.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/real-housewives-of-new-york-retu.jpeg.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Asked if she would ever join &quot;The Real Housewives of New York City&quot; (above), Abitbol said, &quot;Why not?&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-22980132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/real-housewives-of-new-york-retu.jpeg.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/real-housewives-of-new-york-retu.jpeg.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/real-housewives-of-new-york-retu.jpeg.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Asked if she would ever join \u201cThe Real Housewives of New York City\u201d (above), Abitbol said, \u201cWhy not!\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Bravo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A day after the incident, Abitbol was interviewed on the \u201cTamron Hall Show.\u201d To promote her appearance, the show\u2019s Twitter account posted on the day of the fire: \u201cWe\u2019re talking to Taja Abitbol. She\u2019s obsessed with astrology and recently didn\u2019t think what her astrologists said would come true but it did.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During her appearance on the show, Abitbol explained how her astrologers predicted she would move out of the apartment she had just moved into.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYesterday morning, I basically set the house on fire during Mercury retrograde and I had to move. I came here from my hotel room,\u201d the lawsuit quoted Abitbol as telling Hall.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-12.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"&quot;Housewives&quot; star Jill Zarin called Abitbol &quot;a brilliant business woman.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-22980170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-12.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1366 1366w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-12.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-12.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-12.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>\u201cHousewives\u201d star Jill Zarin called Abitbol \u201ca brilliant business woman.\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>But Abitbol said she was never even meant to take part in the episode. Her friend, an astrologer, called hours after the blaze and asked Abitbol to take her place as a guest,  she said.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2022\/06\/30\/dorinda-medley-calls-jill-zarin-a-lapdog-on-ultimate-girls-trip\/\">Jill Zarin<\/a>, a \u201cRHONY\u201d star and longtime friend of Abitbol and Cone, this week said that she stands behind her pal. \u201cShe\u2019s a brilliant business woman with a legitimate, successful business,\u201d she told The Post. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was water that damaged the guy\u2019s apartment, not fire,\u201d Zarin added. \u201cIt was nothing to do with the show.\u201d <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-06.jpg?w=683\" alt=\"Cynthia Bailey of &quot;The Real Housewives of Atlanta&quot; said Abitbol (above) would be &quot;great&quot; on one of the shows: &quot;She's perfect ... it just hasn't happened yet.&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-22980290\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-06.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1366 1366w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-06.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-06.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=683 683w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-06.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=341 341w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"\/><figcaption>Cynthia Bailey of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Atlanta\u201d said Abitbol (above) would be \u201cgreat\u201d on one of the shows: \u201cShe\u2019s perfect \u2026 it just hasn\u2019t happened yet.\u201d<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Jeffery Salter for NY Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Bailey agreed. \u201cI\u2019ve been on this show for 11 years, I\u2019ve seen it all \u2014 and I never once heard of anyone doing anything so crazy to try to be on the show!<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTaja would be great on a \u2018Housewives\u2019 franchise, for sure. She\u2019s accomplished, successful, self-made, she is an entrepreneur. She\u2019s funny and beautiful, she\u2019s perfect \u2026 it just hasn\u2019t happened yet.<\/p>\n<p>A Bravo source told The Post that they\u2019re not aware of any interest from the network in Abitbol, and said that such antics would certainly not help. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/david-cone-01.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Former Yankee pitcher David Cone is now a commentator for the New York Yankees on the YES Network.\" class=\"wp-image-22986885\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1535 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/david-cone-01.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>Former New York Yankees pitcher David Cone and Taja Abitbol have been together for 10 years.<br \/><\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Corey Sipkin<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-02.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"David Cone and Taja Abitbol speak while commemorating the pitcher\u2019s 20th anniversary of his perfect game with the New York Yankees on on June 19, 2019.\" class=\"wp-image-22986895\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1536 1536w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all 1024w, https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/taja-abitbol-david-cone-02.jpg?quality=75&amp;strip=all&amp;w=512 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"\/><figcaption>David Cone and Taja Abitbol speak while commemorating the pitcher\u2019s 20th anniversary of his perfect <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> with the New York Yankees on on June 19, 2019.<\/figcaption><figcaption><span class=\"credit\">Dimitrios Kambouris\/Getty Images for The David Cone Foundation Gala<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThat is not the way to land a spot but rather a way to lose one!\u201d they said.<\/p>\n<p>But Zarin certainly understands why Abitbol might want to be cast. \u201cShe saw what the show did for my business, and why wouldn\u2019t she want that for her business?\u201d Zarin told The Post. \u201cThere\u2019s no shame in that game.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Abitbol \u2014 whose first name means \u201cCrown\u201d in Sanskrit \u2014 added: \u201cI\u2019m not a wannabe, I\u2019m the hardest working person there is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Additional reporting by Oli Coleman<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Photos: Jeffery Salter<\/strong>; Makeup: Sharell Mignoli\/beautybysharell; Hair: Lisa Marie Rodriguez.<\/em>\n                        <\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2022\/07\/09\/taja-abitbol-denies-setting-fire-for-real-housewives-bid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Taja Abitbol denies setting fire for &#8216;Real Housewives&#8217; bid&#8221; Taja Abitbol wears many hats: mom, partner, entrepreneur, restaurateur. But she insists that she\u2019s no fire starter. This week, The Post reported that Abitbol, the longtime girlfriend of former Yankees and Mets pitcher David Cone, has been accused by a former neighbor in a lawsuit of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":472312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/07\/Taja-Abitbol-1.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&w=1024","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[131214,79408,111964,73139,71984,83319],"class_list":["post-472311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-7-9-22","tag-celebrity-lawsuits","tag-david-cone","tag-manhattan-supreme-court","tag-real-housewives","tag-real-housewives-of-new-york"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472311"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472311\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}