Mark Barron, former linebacker for the L.A. Rams, has raised allegations of “fraud and misconduct” in the auction sale of his home in Chatsworth, a suburb in the San Fernando Valley.
Barron has initiated a lawsuit against Toni Patillo, a broker associated with R&LS Investments, which operates as Keller Williams Realty Santa Monica. R&LS also uses DBAs like KW Advisors. The lawsuit contends that Patillo misled Barron during the sale of his 7,500-square-foot mansion at 22510 La Quilla Drive.
The auction, which took place in July 2020, concluded with a winning bid of $2 million, only half of the $4 million target price that Patillo had communicated to Barron as the potential selling price.
According to the complaint, Barron initially reached out to Patillo, who was an acquaintance, in early 2020 to handle the sale of his luxurious property known as Chateau Loire, situated on approximately 2 acres of land. The lawsuit also alleges that Patillo was in negotiations with Heritage Luxury Auction Properties to conduct the auction. In mid-March 2020, Patillo suggested to Barron that he sell the property through an auction. Furthermore, the complaint claims that Patillo and R&LS delegated marketing and sales responsibilities to the auction house, essentially relinquishing their roles in the sale. It also accuses Patillo of failing to disclose her lack of experience in selling houses through auctions to Barron.
The lawsuit suggests that Patillo overlooked warning signs that the auction might not proceed smoothly and could have been terminated in favor of an alternative sales method. For instance, a potential buyer expressed interest in purchasing the house outside of the auction, but Patillo allegedly failed to engage in discussions or follow up with this potential buyer.
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