Civil trial begins for estranged husband of missing Connecticut mom Jennifer Dulos
NEW CANAAN, Connecticut (WABC) -- The estranged husband of a missing Connecticut mother of five has gone on trial in a civil lawsuit filed by his wife's mother, who claims he owes her about $3 million in unpaid loans.
The trial began Tuesday in Hartford Superior Court.
Gloria Farber is suing Fotis Dulos and his home building company. Her daughter Jennifer Dulos vanished May 24 from her New Canaan home and hasn't been seen since.
Farber alleges Fotis Dulos hasn't repaid portions of loans her late husband gave him to develop homes.
It was the first time Fotis Dulos -- who claims the money was a gift -- has testified under oath since his wife's disappearance.
"Over the time, as Mr. Farber gained more confidence in me...the relationship changed," he testified. "By 2010, the relationship did not have any promissory notes. There was no obligation to pay any of the funds that was advanced."
Fotis Dulos was not questioned about his wife's disappearance.
Dulos and his former girlfriend Michelle Traconis have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of evidence tampering and hindering prosecution in connection with Jennifer Dulos' disappearance.
Jennifer Dulos was last seen driving a 2017 black Chevrolet Suburban shortly after dropping her kids off at school.
Her children no longer live in that house and have been living with Farber, who is seeking custody.
Previous court documents revealed that clothing and sponges soaked with Jennifer Dulos' blood were found in trash cans in Hartford, where surveillance cameras captured a male appearing to be Fotis Dulos wearing a baseball cap and disposing of garbage bags in more than 30 different receptacles along a four-mile stretch of Albany Avenue.
The couple had been embroiled in a contentious divorce battle.
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