Representative Cases

Reiser Law represented over 150 investors in a lawsuit against auditor EisnerAmper LLP alleging deficient auditing work relating to the Direct Lending Investments (DLI) Ponzi scheme. A confidential settlement was reached.

Reiser Law represented over 150 investors in a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against valuation firm Duff & Phelps, LLC relating to its alleged valuation work on the Direct Lending Investments (DLI) Ponzi scheme. A confidential settlement was reached.

N.D. Cal. Case No. 3:24-cv-04947-CRB

Reiser Law represents the court-appointed receiver for Silicon Sage Builders in claims that JPMorgan Chase Bank aided and abetted an alleged $119 million Ponzi scheme. In April 2025 the court denied the bank's motion to dismiss the claims for aiding and abetting fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and conversion. The case is pending.

Cal. Ct. App., First Dist., No. A165187

Reiser Law was among counsel for journalists Darwin BondGraham and Ali Winston in a public-records dispute over the City of Oakland's investigative report on police misconduct. In a published August 2023 opinion, the Court of Appeal issued a writ of mandate directing the trial court to vacate its redaction order and reconsider the redactions under Penal Code section 832.7.

San Francisco Superior Court Case No. CGC-22-600819

With co-counsel, Reiser Law represented owners of fractional interests at the Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square private residence club in San Francisco in claims against the developer. The case resolved in a confidential settlement in 2026.

S.D. Cal. Case No. 11-CV-1842-GPC

In late 2017, we obtained final approval of a $51 million settlement of a class action we brought on behalf of more than 250 purchasers of hotel-condominium units in the Hard Rock Hotel & Condominiums in San Diego. The developers told the purchasers that they had to close escrow as the country was sliding into recession when, in fact, the purchasers had a federal statutory right to rescind their purchase contracts under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1701 et seq. (“ILSA”), a federal consumer protection statute that was largely ignored in California before we filed this case. We initially lost on summary judgment, but then convinced the federal court presiding over the case to reverse that decision and grant partial summary judgment in our favor. The Ninth Circuit affirmed that ruling on an interlocutory appeal. Beaver v. Tarsadia Hotels, 816 F.3d 1170 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 113, 196 L. Ed. 2d 41 (2016). The developers then alleged malpractice against their former lawyers at Greenberg Traurig, which later contributed $41 million to the settlement. 

D. Colo. Case No. 16-CV-01301-PAB (RCHFU); Cal. Superior Court, City and County of San Francisco Case No. CGC 15-545987 (Petrick); E.D. Cal. Case No. 16-CV-00237-MCE (Reiser)

In these three related cases, we represent the purchasers of more than 300 fractional interests who paid premium prices for what they thought would be exclusive access to Ritz-Carlton Destination Club properties in Aspen, San Francisco, and Lake Tahoe. There are some differences, but the core claim in each case is that the Marriott Defendants breached fiduciary duties owed to the plaintiffs by merging the exclusive and expensive Ritz-Carlton Destination Club with the massive and cheaper Marriott Vacation Club, and then by using the “halo effect” of the coveted Ritz-Carlton brand to market and sell Marriott Vacation Club points to the masses. The Marriott Defendants profited immensely, while value of the fractional interests that our plaintiffs purchased plummeted for the simple reason that nobody is willing to pay premium prices on the secondary market when the same access can be obtained by purchasing Marriott Vacation Club points for much less. 

See also this article in The Aspen Times. The Reiser Law portion of this case has been settled.

D. Colo. Case No. 19-CV-01870-RM

The Hyatt Grand Aspen was supposed to be the crown jewel of a network of luxury fractional timeshare properties within the Hyatt Residence Club. Hundreds paid premium prices for fractionals at the Hyatt Grand Aspen, which entitled them to specific weeks each year in Aspen as well as access to the other properties in the club. But the Hyatt entities that initially developed and ran this offering kept 20% of the fractionals unsold, and their successors –– ILG and Marriott Vacations Worldwide –– used that inventory to create a new points-based timeshare product. Defendants abandoned the initial offering, gutting the value of the original fractional interests. Hired by the fractional owners’ association, we filed a lawsuit for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud, among other claims. The case was resolved by settlement in 2021.

See also this article in The Aspen Times.

Napa County Superior Court Case Number 26- 47855

Lead counsel in an ILSA and UCL based rescission action seeking deposits retained by defendants pertaining to 7 condominium units at the Westin-Verasa in Napa, California. Status: Confidential settlement reached in 2011.

Reiser Law represented 13 homeowner plaintiffs at the Aventura Isles subdivision located in Aventura Florida related to the alleged nondisclosure of soil contamination during the purchase of their homes. A confidential settlement was obtained in December, 2022.

Napa County Superior Court Case Number 26-50708

Lead counsel in an ILSA and UCL based rescission action pertaining to 26 closed condominium hotel units at the Westin-Verasa in Napa, California. Status: Confidential settlement reached in 2012.  

San Francisco Superior Court Case Number CGC-11-511958

Lead counsel in an ILSA and UCL based rescission action pertaining to 10 closed condominium units at the Ritz Carlton Residences in San Francisco, California. Status: Confidential settlement reached in 2012.  

Napa County Superior Court Case Number 27-56986

A class action filed and litigated by the five firms appointed Class Counsel herein seeking deposits retained by defendants involving approximately 80 condominium unit purchase and sale agreements at the Westin-Verasa in Napa, California. Status: Settlement class approved and settlement reached in 2014.  

Pitkin County Colorado District Court Case Number 2011 CV168

Co-Lead counsel in an ILSA and common-law based rescission action pertaining to 29 closed condominium units at the Capitol Peak Lodge Condominiums in the Town of Snowmass Village, Colorado. Status: Confidential settlement reached in 2015. 

United States District Court, Central District of California Case Number 14-cv-1051-JLS-JPR

Co-Lead counsel with Tyler Meade and Michael Schrag representing 3 whole-life policy holders and their employer in a RICO, RICO Conspiracy, Fraud, UCL and common law rescission action arising out of the marketing of an illegal tax-shelter by among others, American General Life Insurance Company. Status: Settlement reached in July 2016. 

This case alleged American General defrauded owners of successful small businesses by convincing them to purchase life insurance policies through voluntary employee beneficiary association plans, or VEBAs. American General claimed this was a legitimate financial planning tool with long term tax advantages. What American General did not disclose was that it received word from a trusted tax attorney in 2004 that the VEBAs would have to be restructured to comply with newly tightened IRS regulations. A senior American General executive testified that he warned his superiors that the company had not received confirmation of the restructuring, but the company continued to market the VEBAs and sell its life insurance policies through them for several more years. The American General agent who operated the VEBAs conceded the required restructuring never took place. The U.S. Department of Justice sued that agent, obtaining an injunction preventing any further marketing of this scheme. Dozens of participants were audited by the IRS and forced to pay penalties and back taxes. Asokan went to trial in federal court in Florida in late 2017. American General agreed to a confidential settlement after we presented the evidence summarized above.

Pitkin County, Colorado District Court

In this multi-party action under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, filed in 2009, Reiser Law obtained summary judgment in March 2011 rescinding approximately $100 million in purchase contracts for 60 condominium owners and the return of $15.2 million in deposits.