Zappos founder’s self-described ‘right hand person,’ ‘friend’ sues estate for money owed, report says

A claimant is suing Zappo’s founder Tony Hsieh’s estate alleging that she is owed money. The woman claims that she is/was Hsieh’s “assistant, right hand person, and friend for the seventeen years preceding his death.” She also claims “[Hsieh] enlisted her and to do work for his budding film venture before he died and is now owed money. . .” 

The woman’s name is Jennifer ‘MiMi’ Pham. Pham has also argued that Hsieh asked for her help in navigating “a new venture in the documentary business through his company, Pickled Entertainment, LLC.” Apparently, Hsieh and Pham signed a contract on August 26, 2020, which included a term proscribing Pham to provide “certain management and administrative support services” through her company Mr. Taken, LLC. Pham’s company would receive 100% of the profits of each project and Hsieh would benefit through the interest he earned in Pham’s company. 

Richard and Andrew Hsieh suspended this business contract on January 29, 2021 claiming, “further directed that Mr. Taken, LLC, was therefore not permitted to communicate with third parties on behalf of Pickled Entertainment, LLC or to engage with counsel or other representatives of Pickled Entertainment.”

“According to Pham, Hsieh had also hired her to oversee his Park City, Utah property, dubbed “Big Moose Yacht Club,” for which she would manage space rentals and guests and had at one point worked with the city to secure a business license, according to the report. Much like that with Mr. Taken, the contract was cut short after Hsieh’s death.”

Although multiple suits have been filed, it is not clear on what is to happen next. 

See Stephanie Pagones, Zappos founder’s self-described ‘right hand person,’ ‘friend’ sues estate for money owed, report says, Fox News, February 11, 2021.