The first season of Netflix’s My Unorthodox Life introduced the world to Julia Haart, a fashion designer and mother of four living in Manhattan after running away from her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Monsey, New York. Viewers got a peek into Julia’s fancy trips, expensive clothes, and new, luxe life as an executive at one of the world’s top modeling agencies.
Everything seemed to be going swimmingly for Julia at the end of season one. But during season 2, Julia is shown suddenly in the process of a very messy divorce from her husband, Silvio Scaglia, while also being fired her from her job as CEO at the modeling agency, Elite World Group.
Julia has been locked in a legal battle with Silvio since early 2022, and things are pretty intense right now. And since the shoot wrapped months ago, a *lot* has happened.
So, where is Julia Haart now, and what’s been going on with all those lawsuits? Here’s what you need to know.
Julia was fired from Elite World Group in January of 2022.
Let’s start at the very beginning. This was a big shocker that no one (including Julia, apparently) saw coming. While viewers see Silvio amicably packing his bags and hugging Julia’s kids goodbye in the first episode of season 2, things quickly devolve.
In January 2022, Julia found out that she’d been terminated from her role as CEO at Elite World Group, a job she’s held for years.
“She was completely blindsided by the firing,” an insider told Us Weekly in February. “She received no reasoning and was simply let go on presumably the basis of divorce.”
Julia filed a lawsuit in February 2022 claiming that she owned half of EWG.
She definitely wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Julia claimed in a lawsuit that Silvio named her co-owner and CEO of EWG after they got married in 2019.
“The action taken to remove Julia Haart from her position as CEO was unauthorized and of no legal effect,” Julia’s lawyer told Us. “She is a 50 percent owner of the business and was one of the two directors. Unfortunately, this comes at a time when Julia and Silvio are in the beginning of divorce proceedings. Julia will enforce all of her legal rights and remedies.”
The courts, however, did not find this to be the case.
A judge ruled that Julia did not actually own 50 percent of EWG.
Julia’s case went before a judge, who did not rule in her favor. In May of 2022, Vice Chancellor Morgan T. Zurn of the Delaware Court of Chancery wrote that Julia didn’t, in fact, own 50 percent of the company.
“Upon careful review of the trial record and post-trial briefs, and for the reasons detailed in my forthcoming memorandum opinion, I find that Haart does not own fifty percent of Freedom’s preferred stock,” Zurn wrote, per Page Six (Freedom = Freedom Holdings, the parent group of EWG).
“Haart is therefore not entitled to the relief she seeks…And for the same reasons, Scaglia is entitled to the relief he seeks in his counterclaims,” Zurn said.
In July 2022, Julia filed another lawsuit for $257 million.
She took further action after the judge’s ruling on her co-ownership claim with another suit against Silvio for more than $257 million. This suit alleges that Silvio “defrauded her out of millions from their business after she filed for divorce,” per People.
“I have literally so many documents,” Julia told Tamron Hall. “I’m talking PPP loan applications, tax returns, bank loans, bank information. I’ve got immigration papers, investor papers, mortgage loans that all say 50-50. Document after document after document.”
“So, either he’s telling the truth now and then all those documents he sent to all those government agencies were lies or he was telling the truth then and him saying I don’t have 50 percent is a lie here,” she said. “That’s the fraud lawsuit.”
In the suit, Julia accused Silvio of “egregious, bullying, unauthorized conduct” by blocking her access to the EWG office, cutting off her corporate cards, shutting off phone service at their home, and firing her assistants, per People. She also claimed that he had “become increasingly volatile, abusive, and unhinged” toward her and her children.
Scaglia’s attorney, Lanny J. Davis, contested the claim in a statement to People, saying that Julia “has refiled claims that have already been ruled on by a Delaware judge who rejected them — [who ruled] that she doesn’t own 50 percent of Mr. Scalia, or Freedom or any of the company’s assets.”
A judge gave her “exclusive use” of their TriBeCa penthouse.
Amid all the early firing drama, Julia filed a restraining order against Silvio, which included claims that he was “volatile, abusive and unhinged,” per Page Six.
According to the outlet, Silvio’s spokesperson responded: “This is just another day in the life of an aspiring reality TV star, aiming to divert the attention from the factual misappropriation claim just filed against her.” (Silvio had also previously filed a claim saying Julia misappropriated $850,000 from an account owned by Freedom Holding, a claim Julia’s team said was “not based in fact,” per E! News.)
In the late summer of 2022, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that “there was no fear exhibited by either party and no intimidation, certainly not of Wife,” according to Page Six.
The judge did, however, give Julia exclusive use of the penthouse, which you’ll definitely recognize if you watch the show. But, Julia apparently has decided to rent it out. The 10,000-square-foot apartment can apparently be rented for a whopping $125,000 a month, according to the New York Post. And a source told the Post that they have “no idea” where Julia plans to live.
Julia published a book after filming wrapped.
Despite all the legal drama, Julia got busy prepping her new book for publication. Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie came out in April of 2022 and has mostly gotten good reviews. “Propulsive and unforgettable, Haart’s story is the journey from a world of no to a world of yes, and an inspiration for women everywhere to find their freedom, their purpose, and their voice,” the Amazon description reads.
Is Julia dating anyone?
Well, if Julia is actually dating someone right now, it’s definitely very hush-hush. Season 2 shows everyone that the Haart matriarch is trying to get back in the saddle, however, and she even meets with a matchmaker at one point. But no frontrunners have come forward yet.
Silvio has moved on.
On the other hand, Silvio is already engaged to socialite Michelle-Marie Heinemann, which she announced in October, according to Page Six. “Together for all eternity,” she wrote on Instagram.
Does Julia have a new job?
Based on her LinkedIn profile, she says that she’s currently working as an author and as executive director on My Unorthodox Life. Other than that, it’s unclear if she has another job at this time.
My Unorthodox Life season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
