A new lawsuit from shareholders of mortgage giant Rocket Companies Inc. is alleging breaches of fiduciary duties and violations of federal law in 2021 by the company, chairman Dan Gilbert, outgoing CEO Jay Farner and other members of the board of directors.
The suit filed by Michele Rayner-Altenbernd in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan alleges "several false and misleading statements" regarding the company's performance and insider trading by Gilbert. Such claims have resulted in an ongoing securities class action against the company; an attorney for the defendants has denied that suit's allegations, and Rocket issued a similar denial Tuesday of the latest complaint.
"This lawsuit is nothing more than a regurgitation of an existing spurious case brought forward by another plaintiff's firm trying to cash in," Rocket Cos. said in a statement. "The hodge podge of allegations is a work of fiction — based on a complete distortion of reality. Our leadership and company have been forthcoming and transparent in all releases, disclosures and statements — and all stock sales were done in complete accordance with company policy.
