Husband Allegedly Lures Estranged Wife Outside for Violent Showdown

When you've got a restraining order against your estranged husband, and he "helpfully" calls to say your car is parked too close to a fire hydrant and you should check on it, that's a red flag. Paul Greenwald was arrested last week for violating a restraining order against his wife Michelle Greenwald, who is an assistant adjunct professor at NYU's Stern School of Business, and wrote The Magic Melting Pot cookbook. Police say Greenwald lured his wife with the warning about her car, and when she arrived, an irate Greenwald allegedly grabbed her "with force and refused to let go." After a witness intervened, Greenwald jumped into a cab, still screaming obscenities at his wife.

The 61-year-old Greenwald seems to be quite the character; apparently he resides at the Waldorf-Astoria, where basic rooms rent for upward of $400 a night. It's unclear what he does for a living, but he called the Post repeatedly yesterday, explaining, "The [DA's office] has chosen the wrong person to f- - - with... My wife's a very good person. Everybody loves her, including me." But he added, "I have some problems with the process that got me to the point of you calling me." Asked how he can afford to live at the Waldorf-Astoria, Greenwald told the tabloid, "I get by with a little help from my friends."