Telemundo star and former Puerto Rico beauty queen Aleyda Ortiz’s husband was accused of stealing $1.6 million from a popular Latino fitness influencer, according to a lawsuit.
Ricardo Casanova, a financial adviser who has been married to the TV host for eight years, allegedly siphoned corporate funds from Alejandro Chabán, a Venezuela-born entrepreneur, wellness advocate and television personality, the $4.8 million civil theft lawsuit claims.
Casanova worked as Chabán’s financial consultant beginning in 2017, with access to corporate bank accounts and financial records, according to the filing in Miami federal court on July 30.
Chabán filed suit against Ricardo Casanova (right), the husband of Telemundo host and former beauty queen Aleyda Ortiz (left). WireImage
Alejandro Chabán, a Venezuela-born entrepreneur, wellness advocate and television personality, filed a lawsuit against the husband of a former Puerto Rican beauty queen. Getty Images
The complaint alleges that from 2017 until his removal in 2024, Casanova transferred and withdrew company money without permission, channeling it to himself under the guise of compensation far beyond what had been agreed upon.
Chabán’s attorney, Miranda Soto, said the claim is being brought under Florida’s Civil Theft Statute, which allows for triple damages in cases of proven theft.
“Mr. Casanova systematically took funds to which he was not entitled from 2017 until he was discovered in 2024,” Soto said in a statement posted to social media.
“He violated the trust placed in him and his fiduciary duty to Mr. Chabán and his companies. This lawsuit not only seeks to protect Mr. Chabán’s businesses, but also his employees, partners, and investors.”
The Post has sought comment from Chabán, Ortiz and attorneys for Casanova.
The case has attracted attention in Spanish-language media in the US and Latin America thanks to Chabán’s reputation as a trusted wellness figure and Ortiz’s status as a prominent television host.
Ortiz, 36, won a reality beauty competition in 2014 and finished as first runner-up in the Miss Universe Puerto Rico competition that same year.
She has appeared on Telemundo programs, including the morning lifestyle show “En casa con Telemundo” (“At Home with Telemundo”) as well as the celebrity dance competition “Mira Quién Baila” (“Look Who’s Dancing”).
Ortiz has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.
Chabán, 43, is widely recognized in the Hispanic community for his transformation from an overweight child into a prominent advocate for health and fitness.
He has hosted television programs, written best-selling books such as “Think Skinny, Feel Fit: 7 Steps to Transform Your Emotional Weight and Have an Awesome Life.”
He also founded “Yes You Can!,” a Miami-based nutrition and wellness brand.
His public image blends his entertainment career with a focus on physical and emotional wellbeing, and his companies market products and lifestyle plans aimed at Latino consumers in the US and abroad.