‘Princess Diaries’ Star Erik von Detten Named in Lawsuit for Alleged Elder Abuse & Fraud

The Princess Diaries star Erik von Detten has been sued for alleged elder abuse.

On Tuesday, October 20, TMZ reported that a couple — Sheila Greenberg, 85, and Norman Greenberg, 97 — filed a lawsuit that named Detten, 44, and the company he works for, Rosland Capital. The elderly couple alleges that Rosland, which buys and sells precious metals, targets senior citizens to exploit their financial fears by selling them gold coins worth far less than it claims.

In 2020, the Greenbergs called Rosland after seeing a TV ad, and they were connected with von Detten. The couple decided to purchase roughly $1 million worth of  Lady Liberty gold coins, based on von Detten’s information; the coins were allegedly sent to a warehouse for storage instead of directly to them. Additionally, the couple claims that von Detten made a second purchase of about $1 million in coins.

The Greenbergs claim in the lawsuit that they learned the coins weren’t worth as much as they paid. Although they invested roughly $2.1 million, the coins are only allegedly worth $1.3 million.

Now, the couple is seeking $900,000 in damages on top of punitive damages. Rosland Capital also filed for bankruptcy months after filing the lawsuit.

TV Insider reached out to von Detten’s rep for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

Von Detten played Josh Bryant, the popular boy whom Mia (Anne Hathaway) crushed on in high school, in The Princess Diaries. The film also starred Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, Manda Moore, Caroline Goodall, Robert Schwartzman, Patrick John Flueger, Sean O’Bryan, and Sandra Oh, among others.

For The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004), von Detten did not reprise his role. The Princess Diaries 3 is currently in development.

Additionally, von Detten is known for voicing Sid in Toy Story (1995) and Flynt in Tarzan (1999), as well as playing Clu Bell in the Disney Channel series So Weird.