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Thursday, April 3, 2025
HomeReal EstateAlexanders retaliate with counterclaim against opposing side

Alexanders retaliate with counterclaim against opposing side

The brothers have filed a counterclaim against the white-label firm, alleging that it manufactured events surrounding their disassociation from Side. They have also filed an opposition to Side’s motion for contempt against them.

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Tal and Oren Alexander are continuing their legal battle against Side, Inc., and have filed a counterclaim against the white-label firm, alleging that it manufactured events surrounding the brothers’ disassociation from Side, which, ultimately, resulted in the demise of their business.

In a legal filing dated Feb. 21, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida, Miami Division, the brothers and Official Partners allege that “based on a political decision,” Side decided that it no longer wanted to conduct business with the Alexanders. It also alleges that the company took actions against the Alexanders based on media reports alone, which allowed the firm to demand expedited payment of a loan it gave to the Alexanders when they launched Official.

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“Seizing upon statements the Alexanders allegedly made to media outlets, Side falsely claimed that the Alexanders had disassociated their real estate licenses from Side, triggering a manufactured event of default,” the filing states.

“Having manufactured an event of default, Side demanded payment of an accelerated balance of a promissory note, while depriving Defendants of their ability to generate the revenues necessary to make payment, all in breach of the parties’ written agreements, and resulting in the complete and total destruction of a business worth in excess of $30 million.”

The filing also alleges that Side then poached multiple agents, employees and staff from Official Partners “after removing the Alexanders from the equation,” leaving the business worthless. The brothers also allege that they have incurred at least $75,000 in damages as a result.

Side responded with a motion to dismiss with prejudice the Alexanders’ and Official Partners’ counterclaim and filed a motion to be allowed to file an amended complaint in the case. The white-label firm argued that because the Alexanders filed the counterclaim in this Florida-based lawsuit, which Side filed in January 2025, as opposed to the California-based suit that Side first filed against the brothers in October 2024 (and to which the counterclaims are most related), the venue for the counterclaims was not correct.

The Florida-based legal action by Side was to enforce, in the state of Florida where the brothers own property, their temporary injunction against the brothers to freeze their assets as Side pursued the repayment of its promissory note.

Representatives for the Alexanders and Side did not immediately respond to Inman’s request for comment.

Official and the Alexanders also filed on March 24, 2025, a response in opposition to Side’s motion to enforce a preliminary injunction and motion for contempt. In that filing, the brothers claim that Side’s requests should be denied because the brothers never violated the preliminary injunction order.

The Alexanders say that they were allowed by the court to use their money to pay for “legal and ordinary living expenses,” which they claim includes the hiring of a public relations firm called Red Banyan to help deal with media requests in relation to their ongoing litigation.

The brothers also rebutted accusations from Side that it had hired a firm called Guidepost Solutions in order to “protect assets,” claiming instead that the firm was hired months before Side filed a restraining order against the brothers in order to “perform investigative tasks to support the Defendants’ defense against the civil and now criminal accusations.”

The Alexanders likewise refuted claims by Side that they attempted to “covertly sell property” in violation of their preliminary injunction, stating that Side had been on notice that the brothers were attempting to narrow the preliminary injunction to allow them to sell property to cover debts and legal fees and provide for their families when the white-label firm filed its motion for contempt against the brothers.

In addition, the brothers also argue that their filing a motion to dissolve a lis pendens filed against them (a legal notice that certain property is involved in litigation) was in no way a violation of their preliminary injunction order — a move the brothers made to try and avoid default. Lastly, the brothers argue that Side has failed to prove that they violated their preliminary injunction order in any way, and that there is no basis for holding them in civil contempt.

Official has until April 9 to file a response to Side’s motion to submit an amended complaint.

In early February, two lawyers who had been representing Tal, Oren and Official in the case against Side withdrew from the case because they said they were having trouble communicating with the brothers while they were incarcerated and also had not received payment for their legal services after several notices.

Tal also recently received a non-payment notice for his luxury apartment at 432 Park Ave, The Real Deal reported. The lease on the property was set to terminate at the end of March. Tal and Official were also sued in March by the owners of a SoHo penthouse who allege they were defrauded of about $400,000 in connection with a rental apartment at 54 Thompson Street.

Tal, Oren and their brother Alon are all being held in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center on federal sex trafficking charges. Their trial is scheduled for January 2026. Oren and Alon are also facing charges of sexual battery in Miami. That trial is expected to be scheduled later this year. On top of that, all three Alexander brothers are facing several civil lawsuits alleging that they sexually assaulted women in various cities.

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Email Lillian Dickerson

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