Douglas Elliman has issued a cease-and-desist letter to star broker Ryan Serhant following his veiled remarks about the company's former chairman, Howard Lorber. The letter, reviewed by The Real Deal, accuses Serhant of making false and misleading statements that amount to a public attack on a competitor.
The dispute stems from Serhant's appearance at his annual Sell It event in late September, where he described a meeting with a brokerage head that led him to reject a job offer. Although Serhant did not name the firm or executive, his comments appeared to reference Lorber, who stepped down from Douglas Elliman in 2024 after more than two decades.
"There used to be a place you would go to, but the CEO of that company made all his money selling cigarettes, predominantly to kids in the South, and no one else cared," Serhant told the crowd, according to a video posted to Instagram that was later deleted. The remark seemed to allude to Lorber's stake in tobacco giant Liggett Group, which admitted in a 1997 settlement that tobacco companies targeted teenagers in advertising.
Serhant also described Lorber's office on the 52nd floor of 712 Fifth Avenue, claiming the executive "had a gun…which I thought was nuts." He added, "I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can work for you."
In the cease-and-desist letter, Douglas Elliman general counsel Deva Roberts wrote that Serhant's account was inaccurate. "Contrary to the impression you created, you were not being recruited by Douglas Elliman, nor were you presented with an opportunity to join the company that you then declined," Roberts stated. "Rather, you initiated the meeting with Douglas Elliman's CEO to present a business proposal."
The letter further asserts that Serhant's characterization of the meeting and his suggestion that he chose not to affiliate with Douglas Elliman based on the described events are "inaccurate and misleading." It concludes, "You are free to compete with Douglas Elliman. You are not free to invent or disseminate false facts to damage its reputation or business."
Serhant declined The Real Deal's request for comment on the cease-and-desist. The incident adds to a period of scrutiny for Douglas Elliman, which has faced lawsuits and internal controversies in recent years.
Notably, the firm has been dealing with lawsuits against former star broker Oren Alexander, who was convicted on 10 counts of sex trafficking earlier this year. Lorber was also drawn into the spotlight over claims he knew of at least one attack by the Alexander brothers on a fellow Elliman agent, and it was later reported that he admitted in an internal inquiry to having intimate relationships with two of the company's brokers.
Elliman initially stated that Lorber's sudden exit was not due to any violation or conflict, but The Wall Street Journal reported days after his departure that the board had urged him to retire following an investigation into the company's culture and financial troubles. The firm has previously denied any knowledge of allegations against the Alexanders and Lorber's possible knowledge of any allegations.
