Scott Burman has filed a lawsuit against his father, brother, two partners and an executive of his family’s firm B2K for shutting him out of their prolific real estate development business.
In the lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan on Wednesday, Scott Burman seeks $14 million in damages from Jan Burman, David Burman, Steven Krieger, Jonathan Weiss, Craig Masheb and B2K Development LLC, nearly a year after four of the principals of the company known as Engel Burman Group formed a new firm without including him.
The complaint contends that the defendants “schemed to unlawfully expel” Burman from the business that he was “critical to developing and maintaining for over two decades,” growing a portfolio that’s now worth over $2 billion.
When the new firm B2K Development was formed in Nov. 2022, its principals called it a “natural evolution of Engel Burman,” one of the most prolific and successful developers of multifamily communities and assisted living facilities in the area. Founded 25 years ago, Engel Burman has delivered thousands of condo residences through its Seasons brand, hundreds of rental apartments with its Sutton Landing developments and nearly two dozen Bristal Assisted Living communities.
Scott Burman, who joined Engel Burman in 2001 and became president of its construction operations in 2014, claims in the lawsuit that B2K is just a new name for the company, since it has the same employees, is located in the same offices, and uses its infrastructure, business contacts and track record. The suit also claims that the defendants have cut off Burman’s access to Engel Burman business lines, fee income and other revenue streams to which he is entitled.
The lawsuit acknowledges that the personal relationship between Scott Burman and his father Jan had become frosty dating back several months before the split and claims his former partner Steven Krieger exploited the damaged father-son relationship to further isolate Scott Burman and “enhance his own role” at the firm.
Besides the $14 million in damages, the lawsuit is seeking a full accounting of Engel Burman’s assets, and the imposition of a constructive trust to protect and preserve Scott Burman’s investment and any profits “wrongfully retained.”
The Burman family feud is the latest conflict among prominent Long Island real estate dynasties that have boiled over and resulted in litigation through the last couple of decades.
The Burman lawsuit was filed by attorneys Lisa Solbakken and Robert Angelillo of the Manhattan based law firm Arkin Solbakken LLP.
Scott Burman declined comment and a spokesperson for B2K said: “We don’t comment on pending litigation.
David Winzelberg
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