Antitrust lawsuits centered on the agent commission structure have been the main focus of litigation in real estate for many years. But a suit against eXp Realty and eXp World Holdings was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for California.
The complaint was filed by Fabiola Acevedo and three Jane Does. It alleges that two eXp agents Michael Bjorkman (and one John Doe) have a history in drugging and sexually assaulting women at eXp Real Estate recruiting events across the nation, in violation federal sex trafficking statute.
According to the lawsuit, Bjorkman became an eXp agent after being recruited by Golden. However, he was arrested in March 2021 in Miami-Dade County on two counts of sexual assault of Jane Doe 3. It is believed that he is no more at the brokerage.
In a statement made in mid-May 2021 by attorneys for Bjorkman, they stated that his case had been dismissed in Nevada by the Clark County District Attorney’s Office. Golden is still employed by eXp as a recruiter/agent.
A spokesperson for eXp stated that the firm does not comment in ongoing litigation. Golden and Bjorkman did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.
According to the civil complaint filed in February 2023, Bjorkman & Golden “entice women in interstate commerce to recruit enthusiastic real-estate agents with the promise to career advancement and coaching, and then use their considerable influence in real estate to help these other agents, knowing that they would use force, fraud, or coercion to get these women to perform sex acts.”
The lawsuit focuses mainly on eXp’s heavy agent recruitment model. Agents who recruit agents to eXp’s brokerage receive a portion of the commissions earned by their direct recruits as part of eXp’s Revenue Share program. They also get a share of commissions generated through the recruits they have.
Bjorkman, Golden and Jane Doe were both on the Revenue Share “upline” of Acevedo and the three Jane Doe plaintiffs. The lawsuit claims.
The complaint also alleges that eXp Realty’s executives Glenn Sanford, Jason Gesing, and their directors Jason Gesing knew about Bjorkman’s alleged actions, but turned a blindeye, fueled by the continued financial rewards they received.”
The 42-page complaint includes accounts from four female plaintiffs. They all claimed to have had a drink at a conference with Golden and/or Bjorkman but that they didn’t remember anything until the next morning when they woke up naked in hotel rooms.
The lawsuit includes sexual and civil battery, violations federal sextrafking statutes, intentional infliction emotional distress, and negligent hiring, retention, and supervision on the part eXp.
Plaintiffs demand a jury trial. All of them are represented by Cohen Hirsch, LP, and Lenze Lawyers PLC.