Michael Volpe: “Monaghan’s basically asking for a gag order on all of us. He’s saying John can’t talk, and we can’t talk about the case either. It’s insane. This guy doesn’t just want to win a divorce case—he wants to control the narrative.”
Richard Luthmann: “Monaghan filed 20 pounds of paper trying to shut down any talk about the case. He wants John silenced, and more than that, he wants us silenced too. It’s a blatant violation of free speech. Monaghan is trying to make sure no one can talk about Lori or her dirty deeds. He wants to stop John from talking to the media, talking to anyone.”
Michael Volpe: “He wants to violate the First Amendment, plain and simple. You can’t silence the media, you can’t silence the truth. Monaghan is going after free speech like it’s a personal vendetta, and we’re not going to let him get away with it.”
By Dick LaFontaine and Rick LaRivière
In a recent episode of The Unknown Podcast, hosts Michael Volpe and Richard Luthmann dove headfirst into the contentious divorce battle between John and Lori Grossi, focusing on the attorneys at the center of the storm: Steven Monaghan and Edward Fradkin.
Dubbed “Scumbag Lawyers of the Week” by the hosts, Monaghan and Fradkin are facing serious criticism for their actions—or inactions—in the ongoing Grossi divorce case, which involves allegations of false abuse claims, tax fraud, and parental alienation.
Steven Monaghan: The "Silver Bullet" Tactic and First Amendment Violations
Monaghan, a well-known Red Bank family law attorney, represents Lori Grossi, who accused her estranged husband, John, of domestic violence. John, however, claims the bruise Lori presented as evidence wasn’t from him but was the result of a Botox injection.
This led to the infamous "Botox Bruise" narrative at the heart of the divorce case. But Volpe and Luthmann’s criticisms of Monaghan went far beyond the questionable origins of the bruise.
“This guy, Monaghan, is running a full-court press on the courts,” Luthmann said, emphasizing how Monaghan has attempted to muzzle John Grossi and the media with a 300-page order to show cause.
“Monaghan filed 20 pounds of paper trying to shut down any talk about the case. He wants John silenced, and more than that, he wants us silenced, too.”
Volpe chimed in, calling Monaghan’s actions “an assault on the First Amendment.”
In his legal filing, Monaghan sought to prohibit John from posting any “disparaging or harassing information” about Lori or her business, Sensory Playground Pediatric Therapy Center, on social media or with the press.
“Monaghan is trying to make sure no one can talk about Lori or her dirty deeds,” Luthmann said. “He wants to stop John from talking to the media, talking to anyone. It’s a blatant violation of free speech.”
Volpe explained that Monaghan’s efforts to suppress media coverage extended to preventing third-party publications like The Unknown Podcast from discussing the case at all.
“Monaghan’s basically asking for a gag order on all of us. He’s saying John can’t talk, and we can’t talk about the case either. It’s insane,” Volpe remarked. “This guy doesn’t just want to win a divorce case—he wants to control the narrative.”
Monaghan’s attempts to stifle free speech didn’t stop with his legal filings. In Lori’s affidavit, which supported Monaghan’s motion, she claimed that Volpe and Luthmann’s podcast harassed her and that their coverage lacked journalistic value.
“She said our podcasts had no journalistic value—are you kidding me?” Volpe scoffed. “I’ve written a book on the ‘Silver Bullet’ technique, which is exactly what Lori is using in this case. This has plenty of journalistic value.”
The "Silver Bullet" Strategy in Action
For Volpe and Luthmann, Lori’s case is a textbook example of the “silver bullet” strategy—a term used to describe how false allegations of abuse are often weaponized in divorce cases to gain leverage in custody and asset battles.
“Monaghan is guiding Lori every step of the way with this silver bullet tactic,” Luthmann claimed. “He’s coaching her on how to present false evidence, like that Botox bruise, and use it to get a temporary restraining order.”
John Grossi has been kept away from his children for over six months due to the temporary restraining order (TRO) Lori obtained.
“This guy hasn’t seen his kids in 185 days, all because of a bruise from Botox,” Luthmann said, his frustration palpable. “Monaghan is dragging this out, and the courts are letting it happen. It’s a disgrace.”
Volpe added that TROs are often used as a weapon in these types of high-conflict divorces.
“Temporary restraining orders are easy to get, much easier than criminal charges. All you need is one person to say something happened, and boom—you’ve got an order keeping the other parent away from their kids for months,” Volpe explained. “It’s a legal loophole, and Monaghan is exploiting it to the fullest.”
Edward Fradkin: Abandoning Ship When the Heat Got Hot
While Monaghan was busy filing motions to silence the media, John’s own attorney, Edward Fradkin, was heading for the exit. Fradkin, a Freehold-based lawyer, abruptly withdrew from representing John after articles about the case were published online.
In his motion to withdraw, Fradkin cited “irreparable fractures” in the attorney-client relationship and claimed that media coverage had compromised his ability to represent John.
"Fradkin jumped ship as soon as this case got hot. John paid this guy handsomely to represent him, and the minute there’s a little media attention, Fradkin throws up his hands and walks away. That’s not how you treat a client,” Luthman said. “I think Fradkin forfeits his fees. He broke the attorney-client relationship for no reason at all. John needs to go to the judge and make this guy put on the record what John did wrong. Fradkin should have to explain why he walked away."
Volpe echoed Luthmann’s sentiments, calling Fradkin’s move “cowardly.”
“He didn’t even explain what was wrong with the media coverage—he just said it existed and that was enough for him to quit,” Volpe said. “Fradkin’s exit is suspicious. Why would a lawyer run just because the case is getting attention? There’s something fishy here.”
Fradkin’s decision to withdraw left John without legal representation and raised questions about the ethical responsibilities of attorneys in high-profile cases.
“Fradkin’s supposed to be representing John, but the minute things get tough, he bails,” Luthmann said. “It’s unprofessional and could end up hurting John’s case.”
The Larger Picture: Parental Alienation and Financial Misconduct
Beyond the drama surrounding Monaghan and Fradkin, the Grossi divorce case touches on broader issues of parental alienation and financial misconduct. John Grossi has accused Lori of manipulating their children against him, turning them into pawns in the divorce battle.
“Lori’s poisoned the kids against John—classic parental alienation,” Luthmann said.
Vople took issue with the term ‘parental alienation’ but agreed that the long time frame was beyond suspect.
“Monaghan’s enabling it by dragging out the legal process,” Volpe remarked.
The case also involves allegations of tax fraud, with John claiming that Lori has been underreporting her income from Sensory Playground while living a lavish lifestyle.
“Lori’s pulling a Teresa Giudice here,” Luthmann said, referring to the Real Housewives of New Jersey star who went to prison for financial crimes. “She’s living in a multi-million-dollar home but claims she only makes $58,000 a year? Please. Something’s not adding up.”
Luthmann and Volpe speculated that Lori’s financial misconduct could lead to serious legal consequences, including IRS investigations and potential jail time.
“If the IRS gets involved, Lori could be facing more than just a messy divorce,” Luthmann said. “She could end up in prison.”
The Verdict on the Scumbag Lawyers
For Volpe and Luthmann, the actions of Monaghan and Fradkin epitomize the worst aspects of family law.
“Monaghan’s using every dirty trick in the book to win this case, and Fradkin’s too much of a coward to stand by his client,” Luthmann concluded. “These scumbag lawyers are what’s wrong with the legal system.”
As the Grossi case continues to unfold, Volpe and Luthmann vowed to continue spotlighting the attorneys at the center of the controversy.
“We’re not going to let these guys get away with this,” Volpe said. “Monaghan, Fradkin, and any other scumbag lawyer who thinks they can play these games—we’re watching.”
Scumbag Lawyers of New Jersey: Monmouth's Steve Monaghan and Ed Fradkin Exposed