Updated
Updated · Forbes · Aug 18
Better Home Sues Founder Vishal Garg Over Claimed 52% Shareholder Support
Updated
Updated · Forbes · Aug 18

Better Home Sues Founder Vishal Garg Over Claimed 52% Shareholder Support

3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Aug 18

Summary

  • A New York federal complaint accuses Vishal Garg of violating two securities laws by trying to reclaim the CEO job after Better Home removed him on Aug. 3.
  • Better Home says Garg solicited investors through press releases, texts, social media and a Bloomberg interview, where he allegedly falsely claimed he had already secured 52% of shareholder votes without required SEC proxy filings.
  • The board, voting unanimously without Garg, ousted him after net losses topped $1.5 billion since 2022 and the stock fell more than 90% during his tenure.
  • Better Home asked the court to void any shareholder backing Garg obtained and bar him from seeking more support for at least 30 days.
  • The lawsuit revives scrutiny of Garg's leadership at the SoftBank- and Goldman-backed lender, which has faced years of controversy over his treatment of staff and internal-control failures.

Insights

Will a controversial founder's $30 million gamble and secret shareholder alliance overthrow the board that just fired him?
Why is the man who notoriously fired 900 employees on Zoom now offering to work for $1 to reclaim his failing empire?