Former 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' star Carlton Gebbia says she and her family were very good to their housekeeper for 6 years, but the lady stopped showing up for work after a dispute over missing jewelry ... and now she's suing and trumping up a phony battery claim out of spite.
Carlton tells TMZ she had no idea she was being sued by her former housekeeper/nanny until she saw our story ... and while she's hurt by it, she says she's not necessarily surprised. Here's why ...
Carlton claims she recently noticed some expensive jewelry her husband David bought her over the years was disappearing ... and the housekeeper had access. Gebbia says she reluctantly asked her if she'd taken the jewelry after several pieces went missing ... she denied it.
Carlton says she asked her housekeeper to take a lie detector test to prove it and she agreed ... but then didn't show up for work the next day or the following 2 weeks.
Gebbia tells us the housekeeper returned after the 2 weeks away and asked for her job back, but the family decided to let her go.
Carlton denies the allegation she attacked the housekeeper in a drunken rage, but does admit busting up a TV with a baseball bat ... she says it was a fun thing she did with her kids as a joke.