WASHINGTON -- Embattled wine tour operator Tareq Salahi is now free to expend all his energy toward his Virginia gubernatorial run.
Northern Virginia Daily reports that as part of a confidential settlement finalized Monday, a Virginia judge has granted the former "Real Housewives Of D.C." stars Tareq and Michaele Salahi -- who first gained notoriety in 2009 for crashing a White House state dinner -- a final divorce decree.
The court also entered an order dismissing Tareq's $50 million personal injury suit against Michaele's diamond-ring-bestowing boyfriend Neal Schon, guitarist for the rock band Journey, who -- according to court filings secured by Radar Online -- emailed taunting photos of his unusually large genitals to the cuckolded Tareq.
Michaele's countersuit against Tareq for defamation of character was also dismissed as part of the settlement.
When the settlement was announced last week, E! Online reported that Tareq Salahi sounded positive:
"I am thrilled with the resolution of this case and to close this chapter in my life and now move forward in a positive manner," Tareq, who once upon a time called his estranged wife a "groupie slut" after she left him for Schon, said in a statement released to E! News.
"I always maintained that my claims were valid and eventually they would be recognized as such. I wish Michaele the best."
Northern Virginia Daily's account shows some details were not quite resolved prior to Monday's proceedings before Judge Dennis L. Hupp of the Warren County Circuit Court:
The opposing attorneys appeared frustrated and exasperated with each other during the hearing. Roberts and Bruce Blanchard of Fairfax, who represented Journey and Schon, said afterward they entered the courtroom expecting the hearing to be short and routine.
Instead, differences quickly emerged over the wording of the dismissal order that the attorneys proposed for Hupp's final approval.
Blanchard accused [Tareq's attorney Charles B.] Roberts of proposing wording that did not accurately reflect the terms of the settlement. The settlement, including the divorce decree, was placed under seal, thus preventing anyone but the attorneys, their clients and Hupp from seeing the details.
Monday's order leaves open the possibility that Tareq's suit against DD Entertainment -- the Hollywood talent agency that represented him and Michaele and now represents Michaele and Schon -- may be revived, according to Northern Virginia Daily's account of the settlement.
DD Entertainment is accused of withholding money owed to Tareq and of orchestrating the relationship between Michaele and Schon as a moneymaking venture that deprived Tareq of business opportunities. The court gave Tareq 14 days to "file written arguments explaining why an earlier decision by the judge that effectively threw out the lawsuit should be reconsidered," according to Northern Virginia Daily.
Tareq's attorney told The Huffington Post that he intends to file a memorandum with the court explaining why the judge should reverse his earlier decision dismissing the suit against DD Entertainment. If the court does not allow the case to proceed, Roberts said he will "take it up to the Virginia Supreme Court."
The memorandum is due at the beginning of September. Until then, it may behoove Tareq to focus on those poll numbers.
See photos of Tareq Salahi and his former wife Michaele at the infamous state dinner at the White House that they crashed in 2009: