Judge Clears eXp CEO of Specific Sex Trafficking Claims

A federal judge has cleared eXp World Holdings and CEO Glenn Sanford from specific liability and sex trafficking allegations tied to an upcoming high-stakes legal trial. The ongoing litigation originates from a 2023 complaint filed by eXp agent Anya Roberts, who alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted during a company recruiting event.

While some major corporate shields were granted, the court ruled that other aspects of the multi-layered lawsuit must proceed toward trial. Legal experts tracking corporate responsibility and informational guides note that summary judgments of this nature heavily reshape how accountability is distributed among corporate entities.

Court Rulings on Corporate Liability

Judge Andre Birotte, Jr. determined that eXp World Holdings lacked sufficient evidence demonstrating it knowingly benefited from the alleged trafficking activity. Furthermore, vicarious liability and negligence claims against both the holding company and Sanford were dismissed due to a lack of proven direct control over the accused former agents.

Remaining Federal Claims

Despite these dismissals, eXp Realty and Sanford remain tethered to federal Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act claims. These specific counts center squarely on the company’s unique recruitment incentive structure. Additionally, eXp Realty continues to face separate legal challenges regarding allegations of negligent supervision and hiring practices.

Next Steps for the Legal Proceedings

The personal trial tracks for the accused former agents, Michael Bjorkman and David Golden, have been officially severed from the core eXp corporate entities. State-level allegations including sexual battery, civil battery, and emotional distress against Bjorkman and Golden will advance independently to trial.

The presiding judge granted a formal request to push the overall trial start date back to October 19. A crucial status conference has been formally scheduled for September 18 to finalize final preparations for the courtroom proceedings.

 
Here is the source article for this story: eXp, Sanford released from some claims in sexual assault case