Clarinet Player Sues Ex-Girlfriend For $265K Over Faked Rejection Letter From Dream School

Eric Abramovitz, an accomplished clarinet player, wins a lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Lee who, he claims, sabotaged his career.

A Canadian court has handed a ruling in favor of the musician last week. His ex-girlfriend owes him over $265,000 in damages, including loss of reputation, educational opportunity, and potential income.

"It was really devastating to feel that incredible betrayal," stated Abramovitz to CNN. "It made me think of our whole relationship and it made me feel like everything might have been a lie."

Girlfriend Writes Fake Rejection Letter

Back in 2014, when Abramovitz was a second-year student at the McGill University, the aspiring musician applied for a two-year full-scholarship program at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles.

Aside from the $50,000 a year scholarship, the opportunity to study and complete his degree at the prestigious institution would have given the young artist the opportunity to forge connections and secure him a high-paying career in an orchestra.

He also lost the chance to study under Yehuda Gilad, one of the best clarinet instructors in the world, who only accepts two new students every year at Colburn.

However, all his late-night practices did not pay off. While he was accepted at the institution, he never got to study in his dream school.

Apparently, Lee was first to read the acceptance letter and, instead of telling her boyfriend, rejected the offer of a full scholarship on his behalf. Then, she deleted all traces of the acceptance letter from his inbox.

She went one step further and posed as Gilad. She created a fake e-mail address and sent a rejection letter to the aspiring clarinetist. In her e-mail, she offered Abramovitz a spot at the University of Southern California with a $5,000 scholarship — something that she knew he would not be able to take.

Abramovitz was able to finish his studies in McGill University, but his relationship with Lee did not last. The two broke up a few months later for unrelated reasons.

Clarinet Player Learns The Truth

He only learned the truth when he auditioned for a graduate program at the University of Southern California, where he encountered Gilad. The renowned clarinet instructor was surprised to see Abramovitz who, he still thinks, rejected Colburn.

The young instrumentalist, when confronted, was equally as confused and said that Colburn rejected him. He opened his e-mail and sent the rejection letter he received to Gilad. The instructor denied that he wrote the letter.

It was Abramovitz's friends who suggested that Lee might have something to do with the ordeal. He attempted to hack the fake e-mail account and found that it listed his ex's contact information.

Moreover, Montreal Gazette found that he was also accepted to Julliard in New York, but he never found out about it because Lee pulled the same stunt and sent him fake e-mails.

It is unclear whether Abramovitz got to confront Lee, but the young musician went ahead and filed a lawsuit. When she did not respond to his lawyers, she lost by default.

"It is difficult to quantify such a loss. Mr. Abramovitz's life and career have continued. Imagining how his life would have been different if he had studied for two years under Mr. Gilad, and earned his teacher's respect and support, requires more speculation than the law permits," stated Ontario Superior Court Judge David L. Corbett. "But the law does recognize that the loss of a chance is a very real and compensable loss."

Abramovitz is not sure whether he will be able to collect his damages because he does not know where his ex-girlfriend resides. She has also blocked him on all social media platforms.

For the musician, the world continues to keep turning. In March, he was named associate principal/Eb clarinetist of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.