Ryan Serhant slapped with $455K lawsuit over referral commission dispute on Fisher Island deal with Stoli Vodka billionaire
A real estate attorney is suing celebrity broker Ryan Serhant for allegedly withholding her full referral commission on a Fisher Island sale with billionaire Yuri Shefler.
A high-profile real estate deal on Fisher Island has turned into a legal battle for celebrity broker Ryan Serhant, who is being sued for $455,000 in a referral commission dispute.
The lawsuit was filed by Natalia Sishodia, a New York City-based real estate attorney, who claims Serhant did not pay her the full amount owed for referring a client. According to court documents, Sishodia had signed a referral agreement with Serhant in April 2024 for a deal involving Stoli Vodka billionaire Yuri Shefler.
Sishodia alleges that she was entitled to 25 percent of the $840,000 gross commission, which equates to $210,000. However, she claims that Serhant only paid her $40,000 and has refused to pay the remaining balance.
The lawsuit also alleges that Serhant attempted to renegotiate the terms of the referral agreement after the sale closed, which Sishodia refused. She is now seeking $455,000 in damages and a jury trial.
This legal dispute highlights the often murky world of referral commissions in the real estate industry, where conflicts can arise between agents, brokers, and attorneys over who is entitled to a share of the commission.
Neither Serhant nor his firm have responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
https://therealdeal.com/miami/2025/09/12/ryan-serhant-faces-455k-referral-commission-lawsuit/