A member of the Aquilini family that owns the Vancouver Canucks has filed a lawsuit alleging he was disinherited from a family trust and excluded from the family business in a "retaliatory" conspiracy over historical allegations of sexual assault against an unnamed family member. 

Matteo Aquilini filed a lawsuit this week in B.C. Supreme Court, naming his grandfather, Luigi Aquilini, and uncles Roberto and Canucks chairman Francesco Aquilini as defendants, both personally and as trustees of the Luigi and Elisa Aquilini Legacy Trust. 

The multibillion-dollar Aquilini Investment Group has numerous holdings that include ownership of the Canucks and Vancouver's Rogers Arena. 

The notice of civil claims says Matteo is the son of Paulo Aquilini, who is another of Luigi Aquilini's sons.

The lawsuit says the 2015 death of Luigi Aquilini's wife, Elisa, left a "profound void" that unsettled the balance and unity of the family, which was upended in 2020 when a member of Paolo's family alleged sexual assault by a member of his brother Roberto's family during their childhood. 

The lawsuit, which contains allegations not proven or tested in court, says after Paolo told his father and brothers about the allegations, they "decided to retaliate against" him to push him out of the family business and disinherit his lineage from the Aquilini Investment Group's wealth.