South Florida CRE Owner Facing Discrimination, Fraud And Harassment Lawsuits

Downtown Boca Raton’s largest private commercial real estate owner is facing allegations of discrimination, fraud and harassment in lawsuits filed by two of his former employees.
One of the pending lawsuits against James Batmasian (pictured below right) describes the property owner and developer as someone with a “voracious sexual appetite for Latin women.”
Leasing agent Karla Sotomayor filed a Palm Beach Circuit Court complaint last month against Batmasian, his wife Marta and Daron Tersakyan, whom Sotomayor describes as Batmasian’s “right-hand man.” Sotomayor, a native of Ecuador, also filed a discrimination claim with the Florida Commission on Human Relations. According to Sotomayor‘s LinkedIn profile, she has been employed by Batmasian’s firm, Investments Limited, since 2006 and remains employed there.
Some of Sotomayor‘s claims:

—Sotomayor alleges she was instructed by Batmasian to deal with the various massage parlors he referred to as his “jac shacks.” Batmasian demanded that she procure massage parlor gift cards from his tenants as partial payment for the back rent;

—Sotomayor alleges that she was instructed by Batmasian to have sexual liaisons with some of his business associates, which she said she did not do. She said Batmasian also commented frequently on her breasts and made crude references to women’s body parts in her presence. In her complaint, she says she repeatedly told Batmasian to stop, but to no avail.

—Sotomayor alleges that in 2011, she was ordered to rent space to a woman whom Sotomayor claims is a “known mistress” of Batmasian and runs businesses as a massage therapist. The complaint alleges that this woman rented space at170 E. Boca Raton Road #5 with a company called Spa Envy and J & Spa LLC; later Sotomayor alleges Batmasian moved her to 2840 NW 2nd Avenue, #105. The complaint claims Batmasian said he would take care of her build-out free of charge in return for sexual favors.

—Sotomayor claims she was instructed to look for a place for another woman, described as an “attractive Latin female from Colombia,” who rented space in Deerfield Beach for her Lotus Spa. The complaint alleges Batmasian gave the woman a free build-out. The complaint also claims Batmasian wanted the woman to be in a position to owe him sexual favors in return for the favors he gave her, such as reduced rent. According to the complaint, Batmasian wrote an email demanding: “Get me $3-4,000 worth of 1-hour free massages from our spa tenant at 197 S. Federal. Get like 50 of them and the spa can turn them in towards rent as they are used.” Sotomayor alleges Batmasian started taking friends to the spa, “all of whom are older men looking for sexual favors.”

—Sotomayor also makes a host of other sex-related allegations, including a claim that in 2012, a brothel secretly was built atop the Boca Art studio at 803 E. Palmetto Park Road.

–There’s also an allegation that before he went to prison for payroll tax evasion in 2008 and had his law license suspended, Batmasian gave Boca Raton attorney Josh Gerstin about $400,000 so he could pay Batmasian’s “prostitutes” money while he was away. Sotomayor was ordered to put charges on her personal credit card while he was in federal prison by purchasing things for his personal prostitutes, such as expensive handbags and snuggies, she alleges.

One of Batmasian’s tenants was arrested last month for allegedly running a house of prostitution out of the O’Asian Wellness and Spa on Glades Road.
The Batmasians responded to Sotomayor’s suit by suing former chief financial officer James Baker for allegedly stealing confidential company information and providing it to Sotomayor. Baker is suing Batmasian under the Florida Whistleblower Act.
Batmasian is also involved in messy litigation with his former contractor, Joseph Falso, who claims he is owed millions of dollars for work he did for the property owner. Those lawsuits date back to 2012.
 
Source:  The Real Deal and Insurance News Net