Is this Allred's October surprise? Romney 'testified in divorce of ex-Staples CEO that the company's stock was "overvalued" – and his wife missed out on a windfall'



Tom Stemberg is a staunch Romney supporter and former business partner



First wife Maureen Sullivan Stemberg has branded Romney as 'deplorable'



Celebrity attorney Gloria Alldred in court after application was filed to have court records unsealed and a gagging order on the parties involved lifted

Boston Globe newspaper reportedly received a tip-off that there was 'juicy information about Romney' in the sealed documents

Mitt Romney allegedly provided testimony in the bitter divorce of his friend and staunch advocate, ex-Staples CEO Tom Stemberg, that meant his ex-wife received a poor divorce settlement.

Sources told TMZ that Romney, whose hedge fund, Bain Capital, was an investor in Staples before it became a household name, testified in the case that the company was worth virtually nothing and that his friend was a 'dreamer'.

He testified during the hearings in 1988 that the company's stock was 'overvalued' and that the future did not look good. Later he and Stemberg allegedly went to Goldman Sachs to cash in their stock for a massive payout, according to TMZ.

His bitter ex-wife Maureen Stemberg claims this testimony effected how much she got from the settlement.

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Battle: Lawyer Gloria Allred, right, and Maureen Stemberg arrive at a Canton, Massachusetts court to attempt to unseal the sworn testimony of Mitt Romney with regards Stemberg's divorce proceedings It is unclear what if any lump sum she got out of the divorce, but it is known she was awarded 500,000 shares in the company. She later went on to cash in half of these before the company went public - missing out on a huge windfall as stocks soared from $2 to $19. There is no proof so far that Romney or Stemberg tried to mislead Mrs Stemberg or the court, but Mr Stemberg has yet to respond to a request for comment from MailOnline. Romney's lawyer Robert Jones simply told MailOnline that his client had no issues with the testimony being made public. RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Obama on the attack: President mocks Romney over foreign... Share this article Share 'This is a decades-old divorce case in which Mitt Romney provided testimony as to the value of a company,' he said. 'He has no objection to letting the public see that testimony.' The claims emerged as celebrity attorney Gloria Allred, who has promised an 'October surprise' for Mitt Romney with just 13 days to go before the presidential election, headed to court in Canton, Massachusetts with Stemberg's ex-wife to reportedly attempt to unseal Romney's sworn testimony and lift a gagging order on all parties involved. The Boston Globe newspaper filed the application after reportedly receiving a tip-off that there was 'juicy information about Romney' in the sealed documents. Mystery: While there are claims that the transcripts could be potentially damaging to Romney, his lawyer said the case is decades old and he is happy to make them public

Battle: Ex-Staples CEO Tom Stemberg, left, and Maureen Sullivan Stemberg, right, divorced in 1987



In court on Wednesday morning, Jon Albano, the attorney for the Boston Globe, confirmed that the case revolves around Romney's 20-year-old financial testimony and his 'expert investment advice'.

In court, just 13 days before the election, Robert Jones added: 'There is a spin cycle right now. The longer this goes on the longer the speculation will go on. The sooner we get out of this the better.'

At the hearing on Wednesday morning, Alldred presented Romney and Mr Stemberg's attorneys with copies of the presidential candidate's testimony. They asked for time to review the documents before they decide whether to argue against releasing them, according to a CBS reporter in court.

The judge adjourned the hearing until Thursday morning.



The court appearance comes as a string of online messages have surfaced from a commenter claiming to be Maureen Stemberg, 61, in which she unleashes a scathing attack on Romney and promises all 'will very soon be revealed' - in a possible nod to Allred's campaign.

She also refers witheringly to his wife as 'Queen Ann' and lambasts both as out of touch.

In a series of unashamedly pro-Obama comments on the Huffington Post, a woman calling herself Maureen Stemberg writes: 'He had a lot of bodies hidden in his "personal and business life". Will very soon be revealed. When the door opens he and his team will be heading for the hills. Scary group.'

She claims she was married to 'his partner in crime, Mr Staples' - a close friend and advocate of Romney - and brands the presidential hopeful 'deplorable'.

Back in court: Maureen Stemberg Sullivan leaves Norfolk County Probate Court on Wednesday

Arrival: Allred was in court today in an attempt to unseal Romney's sworn testimony in a prior court case

And Maureen Stemberg apparently remains extremely bitter about his part in her divorce, posting last month: 'I know the man and his wife. President Obama the only one to be our President!'

She also describes a time the Romney attended their house for a Christmas party and 'tried very hard to be real'.

'I truly do believe he has a fear and dislike for anyone who has less than 99,000,000 [dollars],' she wrote. 'He just can't relate and obviously Queen Ann is the same.'

A 2005 Boston Globe article reported that Maureen received nearly 500,000 shares of Staples stock in the divorce, but sold half before the company went public, missing out on a huge windfall.



And while another Globe article the following year described her as living an comfortable lifestyle, she demanded that her ex-husband pay her more money.

She 'sits in her $5,200 a month, 14th-floor, concierge-at-the-door, elegantly furnished Back Bay apartment and tells you she’s broke,' it wrote. 'She can’t work. She can’t afford a car, her medications, her rent, even the family springer spaniel, J.J., who she just gave away.'

'I'm going to be out on the street,' she said. 'I've had a change of circumstances.'

Speaking out: Maureen Sullivan Stemberg branded Romney 'scary' and called him out of touch



Prolific: The slew of posts were made by an account named Maureen Stemberg on the Huffington Post

She now works as an interior designer based in Charelstown, Massachusetts and has had a couple of reportedly on-off relationships since her divorce.



The online messages and interviews apparently reveal her enduring bitterness about her husband and their divorce - and Romney's part in it.

She even featured in a 2008 Lifetime documentary, The Maureen Sullivan Stemberg Story: A Portrait in Courage, in which she gave an 'in-depth account ... of the interweaving relationships and strange bedfellow that business has made in her life... which include Mitt Romney.'

Polls show Romney and President Obama are neck-and-neck two weeks ahead of the election and Allred's claims may be perceived as the latest round in a tit-for-tat battle between supporters of the two candidates.

Mr Stemberg's sons are in their mid-teens and early twenties. His divorce attorney, Joel Kozel is also expected to attend today's hearing. It is not known whether Mr Romney will attend.

Another source quoted on the RadarOnline said: 'Ms. Allred's client feels that the public needs to know about Governor Mitt Romney's role in this very important case.



Rage: A message by Maureen Stemberg on HuffPo identifies her as a former 'Mrs Staples'

Comment: She writes that the couple 'just can't relate' to people who have little money

COURTING CONTROVERSY: THE WORK OF GLORIA ALLRED

Gloria Allred has a long history of trotting out female clients who claim to have revealing and damaging stories about high-profile men. The California attorney's clients have included the family of Nicole Brown Simpson in the O.J. Simpson trial and former Spice Girl Mel B for her paternity case against Eddie Murphy.

She has represented two of Tiger Woods' alleged mistresses, Rachel Uchitel and Joslyn James, and worked for Ginger Lee, who claimed Anthony Wiener had encouraged her to lie during his sexting scandal. More recently, she represented Sharon Bialek, who claimed Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain had groped her - which he denied - and the girlfriend of the former girlfriend of Rudy Eugene, known as the 'Miami Cannibal'.

'Governor Romney is running for President of the United States and this goes to a very important character issue.'

Mr Stemberg, 63, has four sons from his two ex-wives, Maureen Sullivan Stemberg and Dola Hamilton Stemberg.

But the Globe reported on his 'paternal shortcomings' in 2006, recounting a story about how, when Stemberg lived with his second wife and their young children, he cut out his then 12-year-old son, Mac, with his wife Maureen.

It explains that he wrote to the boy: '"It will not be possible for you to be part of our family in the foreseeable future", because of the child’s supposed misbehavior during their divorce, he wrote, blaming the child for taking sides between parents and creating unbearable hassles, such as monthly court appearances.'

Stemberg's links to the Presidential candidate are well documented. Mr Romney's hedge fund, Bain Capital, was an early investor in Staples.

Mr Romney was a director of the firm for over a decade and some 90,000 of the 100,000 private sector jobs he has boasted of creating are through stationary retailer.



During a speech given at the Republican National Convention last summer Stemberg praised the Massachusetts Governor saying: 'He never looked at Staples as merely a financial investment.



Close friend: Tom Stemberg, who founded the company in 1986, is a staunch reporter of Romney

Speculation: Reports of the hearing broke as speculation swirls over what Allred's rumored 'October surprise' -- a last-ditch effort to damage Republican nominee Mitt Romney ahead of the election -- could entail.

'He saw the engine of prosperity it could become. Today Staples employs nearly 90,000 people.

'It has over 2,000 stores, over 50 distribution centers, and it is part of a competitive industry that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses get started on their own.'

And during an interview with PBS' Frontline earlier this year Stemberg described his first meeting with Mr Romney.

He said: 'When you first walked in and saw Mitt, he looked like a guy who ought to be president of the United States.

'This guy, he looked perfect; he dressed perfect; he spoke perfectly. He asked the most poignant questions in a very, very nice way and didn't make you feel defensive and really drew the best or worst out of you. He was just really, really good.'

Stemberg described Mr Romney as being 'no shrinking violet' and said he hadn't been concerned when his friend entering politics running for governor of Massachusetts.

Withering: In another message, Maureen Stemberg attacks Ann Romney

'Nobody pushes Mitt Romney around. Having said that, if there's one person whom he will almost always defer to, it's Ann Romney.' he added.

Conservative blogger Matt Drudge fuelled talk last week that Ms Allred was up to something when he tweeted: 'Here she comes. Hearing Gloria Allred out there again, about to make a move. After all, it's her time of the campaign. Team O at the ready!!'

Several news organizations had speculated that the case could involve Mormon women whom Romney advised on family matters while he was bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Allred has a long history of trotting out female clients who claim to have revealing and damaging stories about high-profile men.



One of Allred's most famous clients includes a woman who accused former Tea Party presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual assault, a claim he denied.



Famous takedowns: One of Allred's most famous clients includes a woman who accused former Tea Party presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual assault.

Another famous client includes a woman who claimed California GOP candidate Meg Whitman knowingly employed her as an illegal immigrant housekeeper.

Some conservative bloggers appear concerned about what Allred might expose.

The New York conservative blog, The Red Side of Life, demanded Romney supporters 'stop her now,' adding 'we're doing too well to risk 'an Allred.'

'Gloria Allred Prepares Anti-Mitt Strike You Can STOP Her Now! (action!) Don't underestimate Gloria Allred's ability to inflict damage,' the website reads.



VIDEO: Staples' Founder Sternberg speaks at 2012 RNC: