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Credit: Roger Wong/INSTARimages

Sonja Morgan was recently accused of stiffing an HVAC company out of $20,000 after it completed an installation at her former townhouse in New York City.

Following the news that the 61-year-old Real Housewives of New York City alum had been blacklisted from Tucci restaurant after refusing to pay a $1,000 tab she assumed was comped, Expert Appliance Group Inc., which is based out of Brooklyn, claimed that after working at Sonja’s former home in February 2024, Sonja paid it nearly $20,000 via Chase Bank’s Zelle before the money was taken back.

According to a May 27 report from Page Six, Expert was told by Chase over a year after the work was done that there was “a dispute about a transaction,” which was confusing to the company as it received “no complaints [and] no explanation” from Sonja.

“[The money was] just gone,” Expert shared.

After dealing with Chase’s “disrespectful” claims department, Expert was left without the $20,000.

“What happened to us was frustrating,” said a representative from the company. “The way Chase reversed the full payment after over a year, based only on one-sided statements, without even asking us or looking at documents… made us realize how unprotected small businesses really are in situations like this.”

Expert also called and emailed Sonja, but it got no response until it reached out to Page Six. At that point, Sonja insisted she paid for the services rendered by Expert and added that “what happened afterward was entirely out of [her] control.”

“Had [the owner] simply texted me – as we’ve always done – to say the [payment] had been reversed I would have addressed it immediately,” she stated.

Page Six went on to confirm that the money was returned to Expert after they spoke to Sonja and to Chase Bank. But when it comes to Expert, it isn’t so sure it should continue doing business with Chase.

“We are in the process of reevaluating our relationship with Chase Bank, including whether maintaining our business accounts there moving forward aligns with the needs of our company,” the company concluded.

In addition to her apparent financial snafus, Sonja, who ultimately paid her bill at Tucci, was recently seen in the back of an ambulance in Palm Beach, Florida, following what an insider said was her near-arrest. However, in a statement to PEOPLE, Sonja denied any wrongdoing.

“An elderly patron at the restaurant I was dining at appeared to be in distress, and I called for medical assistance,” Sonja explained. “While assisting during the commotion, I sustained some minor injuries and, out of an abundance of caution, accompanied the EMTs to be checked out. I’m incredibly grateful to the first responders for their swift care and professionalism.”