By INDERIA SAUNDERS, Guardian Staff Reporter

Inderia@nasguard.com

G. Ben Thompson, the man who engaged the late former Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith in a legal dispute over the Horizons mansion before her death, has withdrawn his original lawsuit over the house.

Almost simultaneously, Thompson filed damages against five different parties including Howard K. Stern — as executor of Smith's estate — and the Callender's & Co. law firm, which handled the sale of the house.

Thompson has alleged that both Stern and Callender's & Co., along with Horizons' first owner, Ronald H. Kelly, the Americas International Bank Corporation Limited (AIBC) and the AIBC liquidator, George Clifford Culmer, were involved in the controversial sale of the Eastern Road mansion.

"We believe that all these people were involved in the case [and] we need all five defendants to be brought together so we can sort it out," explained Godfrey "Pro" Pinder, Thompson's legal counsel in the suit, in an interview with The Guardian Wednesday.

"Instead of just Ben Thompson against Anna Nicole Smith, who has now passed, all these parties will now be a part of it."

According to a copy of the notice, Thompson is alleging professional negligence and breach of duty by Callender's & Co. and negligent and or dishonest misrepresentation to Smith by the parties by word or conduct, or both.

He also alleges that the five defendants caused his involvement in a "notorious law suit" with Smith's estate, as well as false advisement that his instructions were carried "out to the letter" which "deceitfully" caused him to send moneys to pay AIBC, Culmer and Kelly on behalf of Smith's estate.

As a result, Thompson alleges that he suffered damages, slander in his title, loss, expense and costs.

The housing dispute between Smith and Thompson goes back to October 2006, after the death of Smith's son in Doctors Hospital, when Thompson alleged that Smith was not the actual owner of the house because it was his money that had paid for the mansion.

However, Smith counter claimed that the house was a gift from Thompson following a previous relationship between the two. After the initial claims, both parties filed claims against the other.

Smith was involved in that lawsuit, as well as one with Callender's & Co., up until her death in February.

Callender's & Co., which originally represented Anna Nicole Smith in her purchase of the house, became involved in the very public controversy when allegations of false information surfaced.

Former Immigration Minister Shane Gibson then became a part of the controversy when allegations surfaced that he had expedited Smith's residency application, despite her not having the necessary documents and not being the lawful owner of the house.

Speaking in the House of Assembly, Gibson alleged outright that Callender's & Co. was to blame for the mix-up. Now, Thompson is alleging the same thing.

"We believe that the law firm made an error in not getting proper documents from her — like a surrey note and mortgage," Pinder said.

In the suit, Thompson is asking for an unknown amount of damages, a return of all sums paid by Thompson to the defendants, interest, loss, expenses, costs and "further and other relief".

The writ was filed on August 16 and the defendants have 14 days after receiving notice to make an appearance in an action at the suit.

Responding to the suit, Michael Scott of Callender's & Co, told The Guardian yesterday: "It's completely absurd. These individuals are essentially the authors of their own difficulties. And at all times, Callender's & Co. acted in accordance with their instructions, which included giving Anna Nicole Smith possession without insisting on proper security documents to support loan commitments. They are now seeking to make other people scapegoats for their own behavior, including besmirching the names of reputable persons in this community. As far as I'm concerned, this is simply a display of breathtaking inanity."