eXp Realty named in sexual assault complaint
The complaint alleges that eXp Realty turned a “blind eye” to two agents who had a history of drugging and sexually assaulting women.
Key points:
- eXp agents Michael Bjorkman and David Golden were named in the suit as co-defendants.
- The lawsuit seeks damages which include lost earnings, significant emotional distress and punitive damages.
eXp Realty and its parent company eXp World Holdings were named in a sexual assault complaint involving two of its agents.
The lawsuit was filed on Feb. 22 in the U.S. District Court in the Central District of California on behalf of four women and one man. The complaint alleges that eXp Realty agents Michael Bjorkman and David Golden had a history of drugging and sexually assaulting women at agent recruiting events, and that the company turned a "blind eye" to what was happening, "which also gave license to its agents to prey upon these women during recruiting events."
"What happened to these women at eXp is disturbing and deplorable, and we hope the bravery of these women will inspire others," said Andrea S. Hirsch, a partner at Cohen Hirsch, in a news release. Cohen Hirsch, LP and Lenze Lawyers, PLC are representing the plaintiffs in the case.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson for eXp Realty said they do not comment on pending litigation.
The complaint alleges that assaults against at least four women took place between July 2018 and August 2020 at recruiting events, including one in Las Vegas in 2020 and one in Beverly Hills in 2019. The lawsuit seeks damages which include lost earnings, significant emotional distress and punitive damages.
Criminal charges were filed against Bjorkman by Las Vegas police, but were dismissed in May 2021 because prosecutors concluded they couldn't prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt, according to reporting done by the Las Vegas Journal-Review and other media outlets.
According to the Feb. 22 complaint, multiple women told a Las Vegas police investigator that they saw Golden with illicit substances they believed were used to drug them and that he participated in the assaults.