Cardone Ventures, the business coaching firm co-founded by Grant Cardone, Brandon Dawson, and Natalie Dawson, has been tied to two separate lines of litigation. The first, a set of dueling lawsuits with biologist Gary Brecka and his wife Sage Workinger over the breakup of wellness venture 10X Health, was resolved when all cases settled and were dismissed in April 2025. The second is not a Cardone Ventures case at all but a class action against Grant Cardone’s real estate arm, Cardone Capital, which is now scheduled for a jury trial in March 2027.
The 10X Health Breakup Behind the Lawsuits
10X Health Ventures was formed in September 2021 when Grant Cardone, Elena Cardone, Brandon Dawson, Gary Brecka, and Sage Workinger merged two existing wellness companies Brecka and Workinger had founded in 2017. The company sold blood and genetic testing and its “Superhuman Protocol” system, opened its first location in Aventura, Florida, in April 2022, and drew media attention including a feature on Hulu’s The Kardashians.1GlobeNewsWire. 10X Health System News Releases
The partnership collapsed in late 2024. Cardone and Dawson fired Brecka from 10X Health on November 5, 2024.2InsuranceNewsNet. Gary Brecka, Cardones File Dueling Lawsuits in Battle of Social Media Stars Both sides filed lawsuits on the same day, December 26, 2024.
What Cardone Ventures Alleged
Cardone Ventures and 10X Health Ventures sued Brecka, Workinger, and three affiliated companies (IJS Presentations, Ultimate Human, and Turning Point Holdings) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.3CourtListener. Cardone Ventures LLC v. IJS Presentations LLC The 68-page complaint alleged trademark infringement, unfair competition, and violations of the federal Lanham Act, claiming Brecka and Workinger had built a competing business called “The Ultimate Human” using 10X Health’s time, staff, relationships, and intellectual property. The plaintiffs sought triple damages for what they called intentional infringement of the “Ultimate Human Analysis” trademark and an injunction against further use of the mark.4Yahoo Finance. Cardone Ventures, 10X Health Ventures File Lawsuits Against Gary Brecka and Sage Workinger
In March 2025, Cardone Ventures and 10X Health added two more suits. A Florida state complaint filed on March 17, 2025, accused Brecka and Workinger of a “massive fraud” carried out over 18 months, alleging they secretly built unauthorized side businesses while under contract to devote substantially all of their time to 10X Health. Those ventures, the complaint said, generated over $13 million in 2024 through eight entities and more than 20 trademark applications. The plaintiffs asked for a clawback of more than $15 million previously paid to the pair, disgorgement of profits, and assignment of rights and profit interests from the side businesses.5PR Newswire UK. Cardone Ventures and 10X Health Ventures File Two Additional Lawsuits Against Brecka and Workinger
A parallel Delaware state suit targeted IJS Presentations and Turning Point Holdings, the entities through which Brecka and Workinger held minority ownership in 10X Health. That case alleged those entities breached the 10X Health operating agreement by competing with the firm and publicly disparaging its products.6Sharecast. Cardone Ventures and 10X Health Ventures File Two Additional Lawsuits
What Brecka and Workinger Alleged
On the same December 26 date, Brecka and Workinger filed two lawsuits of their own in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida. One was a breach of contract action against Cardone Ventures and CEO Brandon Dawson, alleging “predatory efforts” to take over 10X Health and push Brecka and Workinger out by breaching their contractual agreements.7PR Newswire. Gary Brecka Files $100M Defamation Claim Against Elena Cardone
The other was a $100 million defamation lawsuit against Elena Cardone over an Instagram post featuring a video clip of Brecka alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs with the caption “boy bye!” Brecka and Workinger claimed Elena Cardone had run an intentional smear campaign against Brecka on social media.8Olean Times Herald. Gary Brecka Files $100M Defamation Claim Against Elena Cardone
How the Cases Were Resolved
The federal case settled first. The parties agreed to mediation in March 2025, and Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga closed the case in mid-April 2025 after a deal was reached. The terms were not disclosed. The court gave both sides a 60-day window to petition to reopen if the terms were not honored.9InsuranceNewsNet. Cardone, Brecka Settle Federal Lawsuit Over Breakup; State Lawsuits Remain
The state cases followed shortly after. Both sides filed voluntary stipulations of dismissal in late April 2025, with each party agreeing to bear its own attorneys’ fees. No other details were made public, and no litigation between the Cardone side and the Brecka side remained pending after the dismissals.10InsuranceNewsNet. Grant Cardone, Gary Brecka Settle Dueling State Lawsuits
Cardone Ventures vs. Cardone Capital
The other lawsuit often searched alongside these cases does not involve Cardone Ventures. Cardone Capital is Grant Cardone’s real estate investment firm, a separate entity from the business coaching company, though Grant Cardone is involved in both.11Cardone Ventures. Our Story The class action described below runs against Cardone Capital, not Cardone Ventures.
The Cardone Capital Investor Class Action
Investors in two crowdfunded real estate vehicles, Cardone Equity Fund V and Cardone Equity Fund VI, brought a class action against Cardone Capital and Grant Cardone. The case, Pino v. Cardone Capital, LLC, was filed in September 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The Allegations
The lawsuit centers on Cardone’s use of social media to promote the funds. In YouTube and Instagram posts, he told prospective investors they would earn a 15 percent annualized return and could “double their money” over ten years. In one video he said investors could “tell the SEC that’s what I said it would be” and added that “some people call me Nostradamus.”12InvestmentNews. Court Revives Lawsuit Over 15% Fund Return Promise
The plaintiffs allege those projections were misleading. According to the complaint, the SEC sent Cardone a letter in 2018 asking him to remove the projected returns from his offering materials because they lacked adequate support. He pulled the figures from his official filings but continued promoting the same projections on social media without disclosing the SEC’s objection.13The Real Deal. Lawsuit Seeking Class Action Status Accuses Grant Cardone of Misleading Investors The complaint also alleged that no prior Cardone fund had performed at the promised level and that the properties for the new funds had not yet been purchased when the projections were made.14U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Pino v. Cardone Capital LLC Opinion A 2020 annual report filed by Cardone Equity Fund V disclosed a 4.33 percent annual rate of return to investors that year.15SEC EDGAR. Cardone Equity Fund V LLC Form 1-K Annual Report
The lawsuit also challenged a social media post in which Cardone said he was personally responsible for the funds’ debt obligations. The plaintiffs argued this misled investors into believing Cardone had personally guaranteed the debt, which would imply lower costs and higher returns.14U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Pino v. Cardone Capital LLC Opinion
Ninth Circuit Revival
The district court dismissed the case, but on June 10, 2025, the Ninth Circuit reversed and sent it back for further proceedings. Judge Margaret McKeown, writing for the panel, held that the plaintiff had adequately alleged both subjective and objective falsity, pointing to Cardone’s compliance with the SEC’s request to remove the projections as evidence he may not have believed his own claims. The court also rejected the argument that because the SEC letter was available on the EDGAR database, Cardone had no duty to disclose it directly to investors, holding that constructive knowledge does not bar recovery under Section 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act.12InvestmentNews. Court Revives Lawsuit Over 15% Fund Return Promise
Class Certification and Trial Date
On remand, Judge John F. Walter granted class certification on March 27, 2026, finding a class action was the best approach even in light of Cardone’s asserted offers of refunds to investors.16Bloomberg Law. Real Estate Investors Get Class Status in Video Promotion Suit The certified class covers anyone who purchased or acquired an interest in Cardone Equity Fund V or VI through their public offerings. Christine Pino, successor-in-interest to the late Luis Pino, is lead plaintiff. Susman Godfrey represents the class; King and Spalding represents Cardone Capital.17Cardone Class Action. Pino v. Cardone Capital LLC Class Action Information
The opt-out deadline for class members is July 14, 2026, and a jury trial is scheduled to begin on March 9, 2027.18Susman Godfrey LLP. Pino v. Cardone Capital LLC Short Form Notice Cardone Capital denies all allegations of wrongdoing.17Cardone Class Action. Pino v. Cardone Capital LLC Class Action Information