Mike Shouhed, Paulina Ben-Cohen. Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Huntington Estate Properties ; Courtesy of Paulina Ben-Cohen/Instagram
Shahs of Sunset alum Mike Shouhed is being sued by his former fiancée Paulina Ben-Cohen over an alleged 2022 domestic violence incident.
According to court documents obtained by People on Monday, March 25, Ben-Cohen, 33, is suing the former Bravo star, 45, for alleged assault and battery, gender violence and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
In the complaint, Ben-Cohen — who has two children with ex-husband Tal Bahari — says she was “viciously, brutally and repeatedly assaulted and battered” by Shouhed inside her home on March 27, 2022.
Shouhed “forcefully grabbed hair and shoulder and violently threw her to the ground,” Ben-Cohen’s complaint alleges.
The argument continued in the children’s playroom where Ben-Cohen attempted to call 911.
“Nearly four minutes after [Shouhed] initiated his series of vicious and brutal attacks on plaintiff, this harrowing incident finally came to an end,” the complaint states. “After Shouhed went upstairs to retrieve one of his firearms, the police were called, came to the residence and arrested Shouhed.”
Ben-Cohen is seeking unspecified damages and punitive damages in the complaint. Us Weekly has reached out to both Shouhed and Ben-Cohen’s attorneys for comment on the new lawsuit.
In March 2022, Us confirmed that Shouhed was arrested following a domestic incident. The victim in the situation was not named at the time.
After the arrest, Shouhed’s attorney, Alex Kessel, denied any wrongdoing on his client’s part.
“My own investigation reveals no acts of domestic violence was committed by my client,” Kessel said in a statement to People at the time. “I have no doubt Mike will be exonerated. Please honor the presumption of innocence.”
Ben-Cohen’s lawyer, Joshua Ritter, later confirmed that his client was involved in the situation.
“Paulina’s primary focus is on keeping herself and her children safe,” Ritter said in a statement to Us in July 2022. “She supports the work that the police and the City Attorney’s Office have done, and she continues to cooperate with them while looking forward to putting this sad situation behind her and moving on with her life.”
In October 2022, Shouhed entered into a diversion program to close out his case, Page Six reported.
Shahs of Sunset viewers had a front-row seat into Shouhed and Ben-Cohen’s romance.
During the season 9 reunion, Shouhed confirmed he was engaged to the mother of two after a beachside proposal.
“I actually asked her son his permission to marry his mommy, and I gave him the ring,” he shared with host Andy Cohen. “We were in Hawaii, and I planned with the concierge where the most beautiful part of the beach was gonna be.”
Ever since reality TV began, one of the biggest draws has been the drama — specifically, the fighting that breaks out while the cameras are rolling. Through the years — from Laguna Beach and The Hills to the Real Housewives and beyond, the claws come out when action is called. Although Lauren Conrad butted heads […]
Ben-Cohen added, “The love and the connection that we have with each other like, I would not be able to live a day without him in my life. Like, honestly, I have told him before, I wouldn’t live without him.”
The couple broke up after the show was canceled in April 2022 following nine seasons.
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
