Real Brokerage CEO sued in relation to agent’s divorce 

A Utah man has filed a civil lawsuit accusing The Real Brokerage CEO Tamir Poleg of intentionally interfering in his marriage, allegations that Poleg has denied in court filings and in an email shared with Real agents on Jan. 23. Poleg is named in his personal capacity; The Real Brokerage is not listed as a defendant.

The case is now pending in federal court, and no findings of fact have been made. 

What the lawsuit alleges: The lawsuit was filed on Oct. 21, 2025, by Michael Steckling in a Utah district court and later moved to the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah. The complaint asserts "alienation of affection" — a claim that is currently recognized in Utah, but a bill proposed in the state legislature seeks to abolish its use.

According to the complaint, Steckling and his wife, Paige, were married in 2013, had two children together, and were described in the filing as having a loving and committed marriage prior to the events at issue. The lawsuit alleges that Poleg knowingly interfered in that marriage while serving as CEO of The Real Brokerage, a publicly traded company.

An offer of financial support? The complaint claims that in early 2025, Poleg offered Paige Steckling substantial financial support — including hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and the prospect of a multimillion-dollar home in Park City, Utah — in exchange for her ending her marriage and pursuing a romantic relationship with him. 

It further alleges that on or about Feb. 3, 2025, Poleg sent an email to Paige Steckling "with instructions for accessing $1.5 million from Defendant." The lawsuit also alleges that Poleg sold more than $600,000 worth of Real Brokerage stock on the same day, asserting that the sale was made to fund the proposed financial support. 

According to the complaint, Ms. Steckling filed for divorce three days later, and the plaintiff claims Poleg's actions were "the controlling cause" of the marriage's breakdown. Mr. Steckling is seeking damages of $5 million, along with punitive damages and attorneys' fees.

Poleg's response: In a statement provided to Real Estate News, a spokesperson for The Real Brokerage said "Mr. Poleg views the lawsuit as a clear attempt to exploit his public standing for personal reasons and rejects any suggestion of wrongdoing."

Poleg conveyed a similar message in an email he sent to Real's agents and employees on Jan. 23, noting that he was sharing the information in the spirit of transparency. He indicated that "following a separation from my spouse, I had a brief relationship with an agent who filed for divorce from her husband," adding that the relationship ended nearly a year ago.

Real Estate News has reached out to Ms. Steckling for comment.

Denying the claims: In a formal response filed in U.S. District court on Jan. 16, 2026, Poleg denied the allegations and disputed both their factual and legal basis. 

Specifically, he denies intentionally interfering with the marriage or offering money, property or financial support in exchange for Ms. Steckling leaving her marriage or pursuing a romantic relationship. Poleg also challenges the complaint's characterization of the Stecklings' marriage as "loving" and "committed," asserting that Ms. Steckling had already expressed an intent to separate before any alleged conduct occurred.

While Poleg acknowledges sending an email to Ms. Steckling "indicating a willingness to provide financial support," he states in the filing that the communication occurred only after Steckling requested support and was not tied to any effort to persuade her to leave her marriage. 

He also expressly denies selling company stock to fund any financial assistance. "Mr. Poleg has periodically sold stock over the past few years, which sales are publicly reported. Stock sales in January and February 2025 were pursuant to a 10b5-1 Plan, which was put into place months before sales under the plan commenced," the Real spokesperson noted.

Poleg's stock sales in 2025: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings reviewed by Real Estate News indicate that Poleg sold 125,000 shares of REAX stock on Feb. 3, 2025, valued at nearly $620,000 the time of the transaction. 

Based on Real Estate News' analysis of publicly available SEC filings, Poleg sold a total of 4.62 million shares of REAX in 2025 at a combined market value of $21.3 million. Steckling's lawsuit does not allege any securities violations, and there has been no regulatory finding linking Poleg's disclosed stock sales to wrongdoing.

Other industry outlets have previously reported on Poleg's stock sales in the context of broader developments at The Real Brokerage. In a story published last June, The Real Deal noted Poleg's Real stock sales activity amid a year-long decline in the company's share price and concerns about stock dilution.