A New York judge has ordered Casa Blanca co-founders Hannah Bomze and Erez Zarur to crack open the brokerage's books and park roughly $1.3 million with the court as early investors push for a clear look at the company ledgers. The ruling also blocks the couple from using company money to cover disputed commissions and warns that their recently purchased apartment could face a lien if the cash is not posted. It is the latest and loudest twist in a public brawl between the founders and two early backers over who really controls the fast-growing firm.
Judge orders books open, $1.3M into court
Judge Joel M. Cohen ruled that Bomze and Zarur must give investors full access to Casa Blanca's financial records, including QuickBooks, and deposit $1,326,224.44 with the court within 21 days or risk a lien on their home, according to a decision posted on Justia. The order also bars them from pulling company funds to pay Bomze disputed commissions or to take compensation beyond what the operating agreement allows, the opinion states. That is not a small haircut for a young brokerage, even by Manhattan standards.
Inside the feud over commissions and control
What started as a fight over sales commissions has morphed into a full-blown governance war. Bomze sued, claiming she generated about $2.5 million in commissions from 2021 through 2025 and is still owed roughly $1.2 million, while investors Samuel Ben‑Avraham and Christian Visdomini countered that she improperly paid herself about $1.3 million and used backdated paperwork to shore up her position, as reported by The Real Deal. The investors asked for a preliminary injunction to halt any more withdrawals and to secure regular access to Casa Blanca's financial records.
Why the judge stepped in
After a February evidentiary hearing, the court found that the investors had shown a likelihood of success on key claims and that there was a risk of irreparable harm if the status quo continued. The decision warns that, in Judge Cohen's words, "permitting Ms. Bomze and Mr. Zarur to make any further withdrawals creates a risk that the Company could be left in a potentially irreversible position," and it restrains Zarur from acting as an officer of the company, according to the court record on Justia. Translation: the judge was not willing to let the money keep moving while the lawyers fight it out.
Founders fire back and head to appeals court
Bomze and Zarur immediately filed notice that they plan to appeal, and their attorney said they expect the order will be stayed and that the Appellate Division will overturn it. Bomze accused the investors of "predatory attacks and defamatory smears," according to The Real Deal. The two sides are miles apart on how much bond the investors should post to cover potential losses from the injunction: the plaintiffs proposed $25,000, while Bomze and Zarur argued for a $12 million undertaking, according to filings cited by the outlet.
What this means for Casa Blanca right now
The preliminary injunction does not decide who ultimately wins the commission fight. It is designed to preserve the business and protect stakeholders while the case plays out. For Casa Blanca, launched in 2019 with an initial $1.8 million infusion and now boasting more than 200 agents, the ruling shifts short-term financial control closer to the investors and pulls transparency issues front and center. In practical terms, big moves with company cash will be happening under a much brighter spotlight.
What happens next
The court directed the parties to address an undertaking meant to shield against losses if the injunction is later found to have been improperly granted, and the case will press forward through more filings and the appeals process. The plaintiffs argue the decision reinforces basic governance and fiduciary standards. The defendants insist the order is only temporary and say they will keep fighting it on appeal. For now, the money is effectively frozen in place while everyone waits to see which version of Casa Blanca's story wins out in court.
