In divorce papers filed earlier this week, Ann C. Kelly said her husband, Arthur Kelly, told her he was going with the accusation because there was “big money” in it, because, “true or not, the celebrity would want this to ‘go away,’” according to the Star-Ledger.

In divorce papers filed by the husband in April, Arthur Kelly claimed his wife “has committed adultery with one Bruce Springsteen who resides in Rumson, N.J., and Colts Neck, N.J., at various times and places too numerous to mention.”

If this wasn’t about the breakup of a marriage, the last part of Kelly’s accusation – “at various times and places too numerous to mention” – would almost be funny if only because it paints a picture of a world-famous celeb supposedly trysting all over the countryside with a local married woman. If the number of those alleged hook-ups was really “too numerous to mention,” don’t you think someone would have noticed? That is, other than the husband making the accusation?

In her complaint, Ann Kelly says her husband admitted to her that the only proof he had backing up his allegation that she dallied with The Boss was “the gossip and impressions of some women who attend the same gym as the defendant.”

The gym mentioned in wife Kelly’s divorce filing would be the Atlantic Club gym in Red Bank, N.J. Both Springsteen and Ann Kelly worked out at the gym, and according to her, struck up a friendship, but nothing more.

Wrote Ann Kelly’s attorney, Noel Tonneman in this week’s filing:

“The allegations of adultery were filed for no purpose other than to harass, annoy and harm the defendant. The only purpose of filing such a pleading was to either obtain the media attention he did receive or to embarrass and/or harass the defendant.”

According to the Star-Ledger, Ann Kelly unsuccessfully petitioned the judge to seal the divorce papers due to the media / tabloid angle. Through his attorney, Arthur Kelly fired back at his wife, mentioning her attempt to seal the case and saying her filing contained “false and misleading statements.”

In a prepared statement, attorney Edward Fradkin said:

“It was not surprising that Ms. Kelly filed this document, since she had previously threatened Mr. Kelly that she would do so unless he withdrew the second count of his complaint for divorce. However, it is suspicious that a woman who recently sought to have the court seal the entire matter from the public’s view in order to protect their children has now put forward such scandalous allegations that she knows will be media fodder.”

Springsteen himself has been quiet on this issue. When Arthur Kelly’s accusations were first made public in April, Springsteen issued a statement through his publicist saying he and wife Patti Scialfa remained committed to their marriage, and stood by a statement made in 2006 refuting tabloid reports claiming he was having an affair with a 9/11 widow.

Click here for the complete Star-Ledger article.