Four individual lawsuits filed by three family members against R. Bruce Dye and Brigadoon Financial were recently dismissed from State and Federal courts in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The various allegations were comprised of rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, assault and battery, civil rights, job discrimination as well as a counter suit by Dye and his company.
First Kathy Gonya, Dye’s former executive assistant at Brigadoon Financial, filed a lawsuit on September 26, 2014 accusing Dye of rape, sexual abuse and sexual harassment. Dye filed a counter-claim against Gonya for defamation seeking $1 million in damages each to himself and his company Brigadoon Financial. He accused Gonya of malicious allegations with the intent to harm him and his company.
Then on April 17, 2015 Gonya filed a second lawsuit with similar allegations and added that Dye violated her constitutional rights. She claimed she was fired in October 2013 for reporting the incidents to Marilyn Lahr, then president of Brigadoon Financial. Both cases were filed in Allen Superior Court in Fort Wayne, Indiana and both cases were dismissed with prejudice on March 11, 2016.
Marilyn Lahr, then president of Brigadoon Financial, later identified as Gonya’s sister, also filed a lawsuit on May 1, 2015 in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana accusing Dye of assault and battery, and his company Brigadoon Financial with negligent supervision and training, breach of contract and sexual harassment. She was seeking damages, costs, attorneys’ fees and other relief. This case was dismissed with prejudice on February 17, 2016.
Then Gonya’s daughter, Julie Gonya-Cunningham filed a lawsuit in May 2015 against Brigadoon Financial in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana alleging that she was wrongfully fired in retaliation for her mother’s actions. Cunningham was seeking compensatory damages, punitive damages and other awards. This case was dismissed February 18, 2016.
“Lahr and Gonya orchestrated the timing of their legal filings to coincide with community activities in which Dye was heavily involved so that they could inflict the maximum harm on Dye’s reputation in the community,” his attorney William Hopkins Jr. wrote.
Bruce Dye is a successful entrepreneur and prominent businessman in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He owns Brigadoon Financial , Brigadoon Fitness, Scadata and has recently expanded into the golf business, adding Brigadoon Discount Golf in Myrtle Beach, SC and King of Carts headquartered in Columbia, SC to his holdings.
As a philanthropist Dye supports Fort Wayne in many ways. Brigadoon Fitness hosts events such as the Hotel Fitness Championship, a professional golf tournament that raises money for local charities. In 2015 Dye partnered with a Fort Wayne radio station WOWO 1190-AM and 92.3-FM for their annual fundraiser and pledged to match penny for penny all money raised. WOWO Radio's 2015 Brigadoon Fitness Penny Pitch raised over $280,000 which benefitted four local aid organizations: The Burn Council of Northern Indiana, Kate's Kart, and the McMillen Center for Health Education and the Community Transportation Network. At the University of Saint Francis Dye’s name is prominently displayed on the football training center after making substantial contributions. Bruce is also a big donor to the Indiana Republican Party.
Information cited from these sources
Kathy Gonya v. Brigadoon Financial Inc, R Bruce Dye
Court : Allen Superior Court 2
Case Number: 02D02-1504-CT-000151
https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/#/vw/CaseSummary/eyJ2Ijp7IkNhc2VUb2tlbiI6Ik9Ua3dNekl5TmpFM01UVXdPakl6TlRVMk9EQXlNbUk9In19
Kathy Gonya v. R Bruce Dye, Brigadoon Financial Inc
Court: Allen Superior Court 9
Case Number: 02D09-1408-CT-000404
https://public.courts.in.gov/mycase/#/vw/CaseSummary/eyJ2Ijp7IkNhc2VUb2tlbiI6Ill6SXdNekl5TmpFM01UVXdPalV3TkRrd01qZ3haR0U9In19
Lahr v. Brigadoon Financial, Inc.
Court : U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
case Number: 1:15-cv-00106-JD-SLC
https://ecf.innd.uscourts.gov
Cunningham v. Brigadoon Financial Inc
Court : U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
Case Number: 1:15-cv-00114-TLS-SLC
https://ecf.innd.uscourts.gov