Los Angeles, CA, Oct. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer ruled that claims related to LuxUrban’s Q1 2024 financial statements failed to meet the standard for pleading fraud. As a result, the core financial fraud allegations were dismissed. The remaining claims are limited to whether certain hotel properties were accurately described as being under lease — a dispute that, while allowed to proceed, does not involve allegations of financial errors. Stanford University Legal Reporters.
This outcome stands in contrast to recent media portrayals — particularly in a series of articles by Ciara Long in Bisnow — which suggest a broader finding of corporate misconduct. However, based on court filings and publicly available documents reviewed by LawTechSpotlight.com, the centerpiece of the complaint — alleged falsification of financials — was expressly rejected by the court.
“The court’s opinion makes clear that the central fraud allegations tied to Q1 financials did not meet the pleading standard,” said a legal source familiar with the case. “That’s a major distinction, and one that hasn’t been emphasized in broader reporting.”
In January 2024, LuxUrban announced a fully executed 15-year master lease for the James NoMad, supported by a $5 million security deposit. GFI Hospitality CEO Allen Gross, the landlord’s principal, went on record in a joint press release praising LuxUrban’s “support, professionalism, and vision in consummating this transaction.” This was not an imaginary hotel; it was an executed lease with landlord endorsement and a significant financial commitment behind it.
The ruling contradicts the portrayal in some recent media coverage, particularly a series of articles by Ciara Long in Bisnow, which referenced landlord disputes and suggested a broader finding of corporate misconduct. However, according to court documents and public filings reviewed by LawTechSpotlight.com, key elements of the plaintiffs’ original complaint — notably the alleged falsification of financials — were explicitly rejected by the court.
Disputed Leases at the Heart of Remaining Claims
The claims that remain focus on whether two properties — The Royalton and The James NoMad — were properly described as under lease at the time of certain public disclosures.
Court documents and supporting evidence indicate:
- The Royalton lease was fully executed, with written confirmation from the landlord’s legal counsel.
- The James NoMad lease was also executed, supported by a $5 million security deposit and a joint press release issued by the landlord at the time, publicly endorsing the transaction.
Despite this documentation, the properties were characterized in Bisnow’s reporting as “phantom hotels” — a claim not supported by the legal record or contractual materials reviewed by LawTechSpotlight.com.
Media Citations and the Legal Record
Notably, the court’s opinion cited Ms. Long’s reporting as part of the factual background. Legal experts caution that while media coverage can provide helpful context, courts — and the public — must be wary of narratives built on unresolved allegations or selectively presented facts.
What Comes Next
In LawTechSpotlight.com’s legal analysis, the claims that remain are narrow in scope and unlikely to survive further judicial scrutiny. With the financial fraud and insider trading allegations already dismissed, the case has been materially weakened.
More broadly, this case underscores the risks of reputational damage arising from litigation that is still at the pleading stage — particularly when coverage omits key legal findings. The dynamic highlights the need for greater care in media reporting on complex securities litigation, where early mischaracterizations can significantly distort public understanding.
As this case develops, LawTechSpotlight.com will continue to provide analysis grounded in legal facts, not headlines.
With larger claims already dismissed, the case has been materially weakened.
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