Initially filed in December 2023, the lawsuit facilities round a recruiting occasion hosted by Brent Gove in February 2020, a sundown cruise that Gove dubbed “Freedom Summit.” Roberts alleges that the girlfriend of David Golden, one of many males she has claimed sexually assaulted her, positioned a capsule in her mouth and advised her it was Adderall. As an alternative, it was a drug that brought about Roberts to black out.
Whereas Roberts mentioned she doesn’t bear in mind the vast majority of what occurred after blacking out, she mentioned that by way of the testimony of others on the occasion, flashes of reminiscence that got here again to her and contextual clues, she concluded that she was raped by Golden and one other former eXp agent Michael Bjorkman. Neither Bjorkman nor Golden are at present affiliated with eXp. Gove and Roberts reached a settlement relating to these claims in January of 2026.
Of their motions filed on Friday, the eXp defendants and Sanford argue that Roberts can’t present that eXp Realty or Sanford knew of the alleged conduct of Bjorkman and Golden and that eXp Realty or Sanford can’t be held “vicariously liable” for Bjorkman’s and Golden’s actions below the Trafficking Sufferer’s Safety Reauthorization Act.
Moreover, the 2 defendants argue that the courtroom ought to grant abstract judgement on Roberts’ declare of negligent hiring, retention and supervision as a result of neither eXp nor Sanford breached any obligation owed to Roberts and even when they “had breached an obligation owed to Roberts, there isn’t a causal connection between that purported breach of obligation and Roberts’ alleged accidents.”
Sanford and the eXp defendants had beforehand been dismissed from a prior complaint within the lawsuit in Might 2024, however have been once more named as defendants in an amended complaint.
Decide Andre Birotte, who’s overseeing the lawsuit in U.S. District Court docket in Los Angeles, has scheduled a listening to relating to all 4 motions for abstract judgement for April 17, 2026.
In an emailed assertion an eXp spokesperson wrote that the corporate “has zero tolerance for abuse, harassment, or misconduct of any form — together with by the impartial actual property brokers who use our companies.”
“eXp hopes and trusts that the courtroom will give a full and truthful listening to to the plaintiffs as they proceed to pursue claims in opposition to the people who allegedly assaulted them,” the spokesperson added. “Nonetheless, the claims in opposition to eXp World Holdings, eXp Realty, and Glenn Sanford don’t have any foundation in truth or regulation, which is why the defendants just lately filed motions for abstract judgment in search of dismissal of these claims. We strongly imagine the claims in opposition to them are with out advantage and can proceed to vigorously defend in opposition to them.”
