Billy Abraham: Resolution to legal battle with Juan Gabriel’s son ‘imminent’
El Paso businessman William D. “Billy” Abraham told ABC-7 Tuesday he is optimistic his legal battle with musician Juan Gabriel’s son, Ivan Aguilera, will soon be resolved.
The El Paso Inc. reported in July a Florida court ordered Abraham to pay Aguilera $1,035,347 for a concert Aguilera’s father played at the Don Haskins Center in 2015.
That sold-out concert was promoted by Billy Abraham Presents. El Paso Inc. reported Abraham and the now-deceased singer had come to an agreement, and that no compensation would be needed.
Abraham told ABC-7 his mother, Margaret Caples Abraham, and Juan Gabriel were very close. Abraham said Margaret even baptized Juan Gabriel’s sons.
The businessman provided ABC-7 a photo showing Margaret and Juan Gabriel together, with a hand-written message from the singer.
The El Paso Inc. reports attorneys for Aguilera cited the unaltered contract between IGSFA, a management company owned by Aguilera, and Billy Abraham Presents. Attorneys used the fact that Abraham never made a payment as evidence, the paper reports.
On Tuesday, a building owned by Abraham in El Paso was set to be auctioned off to satisfy a debt he owes to IGSFA management.
The building was taken off the auction block. In a statement released to ABC-7, Abraham said it was because both parties were close to reaching a resolution:
To respect the Confidentiality of efforts to resolve a dispute between the heirs of a True Friend and My Dearly Departed Brother in Arms, Alberto Aguilera aka “Juan Gabriel”, I am not at liberty to issue a statement at this time. I can report, it is with great optimism, relief and enthusiasm that a resolution to this matter is imminent.
ABC-7 reached out to Aguilera’s attorney, Steven M. Ebner, for comment. He confirmed the auction for the building had been postponed. Ebner said an agreement has not yet been reached or finalized. Ebner said if an agreement could not be reached, they would continue to go after Abraham’s assets to satisfy the debt.
