High-Stakes Love Affairs: How Douglas Elliman’s CEO Lost His Empire

High-Stakes Love Affairs: How Douglas Elliman’s CEO Lost His Empire

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Former Douglas Elliman CEO Howard Lorber’s sudden retirement in October has become a focal point in the real estate industry, as details emerge about alleged intimate relationships and a complex legal inquiry. According to a report on Thursday in The New York Post, Lorber disclosed that he had “intimate relationships” with two brokers at the company, one of whom is Jennine Gourin, a former actress and the mother of Jack Nicholson’s estranged child. This revelation and Lorber’s departure have brought renewed scrutiny on Douglas Elliman and have stirred questions about the company’s handling of workplace relationships and harassment accusations.

Lorber, who retired on October 22, left under a cloud of controversy related to allegations of sexual harassment involving other former employees, though The New York Post reported that his departure was not due to operational disagreements with Douglas Elliman. In fact, the company clarified in regulatory filings that Lorber’s exit was unrelated to any internal conflict over policy or company practices. Yet, his departure followed an intense five-hour interrogation by company lawyers earlier that month, during which Lorber faced probing questions regarding his personal life and his associations with specific brokers, according to Bloomberg, as highlighted by the report in The New York Post.

One prominent point of discussion involved Jennine Gourin, who has a long history with Lorber. Gourin, now a 51-year-old broker with Elliman, was previously an actress, known for a minor role as a “schoolgirl” in the 1982 film “A Little Sex,” according to IMDB records. The two have been frequently photographed together at various high-profile social events, including a Hamptons horse show in 2013, as noted by The New York Post. This longstanding association has raised questions about potential conflicts of interest, though Lorber’s attorney maintains that Douglas Elliman had no explicit policy barring consensual relationships between employees and independent contractors.

Lorber’s support for Gourin extended beyond social settings; according to his attorney, Douglas Maynard, Lorber occasionally recommended her to clients and developers, though he did the same for numerous other agents of all genders. Maynard emphasized that recommending agents was a customary practice in the industry, often in response to client requests for guidance on selecting a broker. Gourin, who joined Douglas Elliman in the early 2010s, reportedly earned substantial commissions, bringing in over half a million dollars in 2013 and 2014 alone, as documented in information shared by The New York Post. Her background also includes a brief relationship with Jack Nicholson in the 1990s, which resulted in the birth of Tessa Gourin, a daughter who has a strong physical resemblance to Nicholson.

Adding to the firm’s public relations challenges, Douglas Elliman has also been grappling with separate allegations involving two of its former brokers, Tal and Oren Alexander. These high-profile brothers, who rose to prominence within the firm before leaving in 2022, were accused of sexual assault in incidents dating back to their initial years at Elliman in 2008, according to the information provided in The New York Post report. While they have not faced criminal charges, these allegations have further complicated the public image of Douglas Elliman, placing additional pressure on the company to review its internal policies regarding conduct, harassment, and accountability.

In response to the unfolding situation, Douglas Elliman’s leadership has sought to reassure stakeholders that Lorber’s retirement was not a direct result of policy violations. Still, the company’s decision to conduct an extensive internal inquiry suggests a deeper concern for potential repercussions on its reputation. The New York Post report also indicated that Lorber’s relationships with brokers could serve as a basis for examining broader issues of power dynamics and professional boundaries within the high-stakes world of luxury real estate.

At the center of the allegations against the Alexander brothers is Jessica Cohen, an award-winning agent at Douglas Elliman, whose troubling account from 2010 has recently come to light.

The case has become particularly complex due to conflicting accounts and memories of past events. According to The New York Times’ reporting, which The New York Post has extensively followed, Cohen recounts attending a Manhattan birthday party in 2010 where she had a drink with Tal, Oren, and their brother Alon Alexander. Cohen reports having no memory of the subsequent five hours, only regaining consciousness at Mount Sinai West Hospital after midnight.

The accuracy of photographic evidence has become a point of contention. While The New York Times referenced time-stamped photos allegedly showing Cohen unconscious on Tal Alexander’s shoulder, a source close to the matter told The New York Post that no such photograph exists.

The timeline of disclosure adds another layer to the story. Cohen reportedly confided in Lorber about the incident two years after it occurred during a game of chess, specifically requesting his discretion. Douglas Elliman’s handling of this information has come under scrutiny, with the company’s spokesman Stephen Larkin telling The New York Times that the incident was raised “casually and confidentially” to the chief executive, rather than through formal HR channels.

In its official response, as reported by The New York Post, Douglas Elliman maintained that they respected Cohen’s wish for confidentiality, stating through their spokesperson that the initial disclosure was vague and did not specify involved parties. “Douglas Elliman respected her wishes,” the company stated, noting that Cohen had expressed uncertainty about the events of that evening.

Recent developments have introduced additional complications, with Bloomberg reporting that Lorber claimed to have had a relationship with Cohen. However, Cohen’s legal representation has forcefully rejected these assertions. In a statement provided to The New York Post, her attorney Michael Willemin emphasized, “Any notion that Ms. Cohen had a ‘romantic’ relationship with Mr. Lorber, or that any such relationship made it easier for her to become a top broker is categorically false.”

The dispute has intensified with strong declarations from opposing legal teams. According to reporting by The New York Post, Cohen’s lawyers assert that she had already established herself as a top-performing broker before any interaction with Lorber, and claim that subsequent events have “profoundly” impacted both her professional career and personal life.

However, Lorber’s attorney, Maynard, has forcefully contested these claims. As reported by The New York Post, Maynard states that Cohen’s lawyer’s assertions are “false and flatly contradicted” by Cohen’s own communications over several years, both written and verbal.