Bethenny Frankel's Ex-Husband Jason Hoppy Arrested for Allegedly Harassing, Stalking Her
Bethenny Frankel's less than amicable relationship with her ex-husband, Jason Hoppy, just got more complicated.
Hoppy was arrested on Jan. 27 and charged with harassment in the first degree and stalking in the fourth degree, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to ET on Tuesday. According to police, Hoppy contacted Frankel numerous times via email and FaceTime, and approached her making verbal threats.
"Mr. Hoppy approached her and a friend at her child's school at around 8:15 a.m. and tried to provoke a fight," the spokesperson says. "He said, 'I will destroy you, you can get all the lawyers you want, you've been warned.'"
Hoppy, 45, was released from jail after his appearance in front of a judge, with his next court appearance scheduled for March 13. He maintains that the charges are false.
"There are no words to express how saddened Mr. Hoppy is over his ex-wife's unjustified actions," Hoppy's criminal defense attorney, Robert C. Gottlieb, said in a statement to ET. "His only concern is his daughter and intends to vigorously fight these false charges."
Meanwhile, Frankel's attorney, Barry ZOne, told ET in a statement: "Ms. Frankel’s decision to report Mr. Hoppy’s abusive behavior followed years of systematic bullying, harassment, stalking and torment on an almost daily basis. Indeed, Mr. Hoppy has sent hundreds of escalating texts and emails to Ms. Frankel, her assistants and her boyfriend, demanding that she meet with Mr. Hoppy unnecessarily. These acts of mental and psychological abuse are domestic violence, pure and simple. No woman, celebrity or not, deserves to have their allegations of such abuse taken lightly, and we are grateful to the NYPD for their immediate action to protect Ms. Frankel."
Frankel and Hoppy share one daughter together, 6-year-old Bryn. The two separated in December 2012, and their divorce was finalized last July after an intense custody battle.
WATCH: Bethenny Frankel Details 'Traumatic' Divorce, Ex Jason Hoppy's Lawyer Calls Her Insensitive
ET sat down with the 46-year-old former Real Housewives of New York City star last month, when she opened up about life after divorce and the lessons other women can learn from her own tumultuous split.
"The situation that I've been in, and continue to be in, is really challenging and it was unexpected," Frankel admitted to ET.
She also talked about co-parenting with Hoppy.
"I own my side of the street," Frankel said. "I am with my daughter whenever she's not at school [and] I work when it's not my time with her."
Watch below:
-- Additional reporting by Jennifer Peros