Donald Sterling's Wife, Galpal to Meet in Court

The girlfriend whose recording of Donald Sterling making racially insensitive remarks cost him ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers faces a fight with his estranged wife that could cost her the fortune he gave her. Shelly Sterling is going after the $2.5 million in gifts her husband lavished on V. Stiviano in a trial set to begin today in Los Angeles Superior Court. Shelly Sterling accuses Stiviano, 32, of seducing older, wealthy men into loaning her money, giving her gifts, or cheating them out of wealth. She claims the gifts—including a $1.8 million Spanish duplex near Beverly Hills, a Ferrari, and two Bentleys—were community property her husband of 58 years had no right to give away. The trial comes nearly a year after Stiviano's recording of Donald Sterling telling her not to publicly associate with black people led to his lifetime ban from basketball.

Donald Sterling, known for relishing a skirmish, vowed to fight the NBA to his death, filing lawsuits against the league and his wife. He's also suing two doctors who said he had Alzheimer's symptoms, a diagnosis that let his wife seize the family trust and sell the team for a record $2 billion. A month before the recording surfaced, Shelly Sterling sued Stiviano, who she said was his mistress. Stiviano has denied they had a romantic relationship. The trial could see the three in the same courtroom as Shelly Sterling lists all as possible witnesses. Stiviano's attorney denied in court papers that Stiviano took advantage of Sterling, saying there was no evidence "the feminine wiles of Ms. Stiviano overpowered the iron will of Donald T. Sterling who is well known as one of the most shrewd businessmen in the world." (Click to find out where 20 infamous Hollywood mistresses are now.)