The former bond king has an outdoor artwork legal battle after nearly two years.

William Hunt "Bill" Gross

Yesterday, Bill Gross, retired co-founder of Pimco, and Laurence Nokes, a Nokes & Quinn attorney who represents Bill and Amy Gross (Bill's wife), confirmed that the couple have won final approval from the city of Laguna Beach, California for a Chihuly glass sculpture outside their home. Mark Towfiq and Carol Nakahara, neighbors to Amy and Bill Gross, had objected to the installation of the $1-million sculpture on the grounds that it violated "neighborhood compatibility" and mucked with their view. (The New York Post offers pictures of the sculpture.)

"Amy and I are relieved we can finally enjoy our art in peace and in full compliance with the City of Laguna Beach," Bill Gross states. "While we are pleased at the final outcome, it is disappointing that it took so long, cost too much, and diverted valuable city, state and court resources for what was essentially a dispute among neighbors."

This is only one piece of the dispute between the two pairs of neighbors. Towfiq accused his neighbors of playing music (especially the "Gilligan's Island" theme song) obnoxiously loudly and on repeat. Bill Gross called Towfiq a peeping Tom who kept pointing cameras at his neighbors and videotaping them. Restraining orders flew back and forth, and one incident even resulted in Bill and Amy Gross getting a five-day jail sentence (though that was suspended due to the pandemic). 

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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