Tarek El Moussa has been accused of threatening an ex-employee and losing his temper at an assistant among other things in a lawsuit that hasn’t been brought to light until now.
The HGTV star has a past of blowing up on set – back when he was filming Flip or Flop with ex Christina Haack – and storming off on set as seen in an episode of The Flipping El Moussas with his wife Heather El Moussa.
Two lawsuits later – and a cross-complaint filed by the 43-year-old – Tarek is now headed to trial this summer, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
A disgruntled former employee of Tarek Buys Houses named Jeffrey Revoy, 57, sued Tarek, his Tarek Buys Houses co-founder Peter de Best, Tarek Buys Houses and Digital Foundation Group (DFG) in August 2023 for various claims including breach of contract, wrongful termination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, defamation, assault and failure to prevent harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Employment Housing Act (FEHA).
In February 2024, Jeffrey had fired off a second lawsuit in California against El Moussa and TEM Capital Management – Tarek’s real estate investment firm – alleging breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good and faith and fair dealing and breach of fiduciary duty among other claims.
In June 2024, Tarek and DFG filed a Cross-Complaint against Revoy for the 2023 case, alleging causes of action for Tort of Another, Breach of Fiduciary Duties, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, and Negligent Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage.
Tarek El Moussa has been accused of threatening an ex-employee and losing his temper at an assistant among other things in a messy lawsuit
Jeffrey Revoy (pictured) is suing Tarek and other defendants over a list of allegations including breach of contract, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress
Jeffrey, 57, was an employee at Tarek Buys Houses from 2021 until 2022
The lengthy lawsuits were filed after Revoy, an entrepreneur from Utah who traveled to Orange County for work, was ‘terminated’ from Tarek Buys Houses in July 2022.
Revoy, who worked for the company since September 2021, claims in the court documents obtained by DailyMail.com that El Moussa and de Best, 52, decided to terminate his employment ‘in retaliation’ after they ‘learned or guessed that Revoy had formally complained about Debest.’
He also claims he believed they were ‘further motivated by financial pressures’ and believed that they would ‘save money by not paying Revoy’s compensation or his contractual severance.’
In addition to not receiving his severance, the complaint states he was also not immediately paid all earned income and was never paid for accrued Paid Time Off.
In a Zoom meeting that took place the following month, El Moussa confirmed that Revoy was terminated from DFG, in which he served as CEO, but he ‘did not indicate whether the termination was for cause or on some other basis’ nor was any cause of termination ever identified, per the docs.
The reality star, however, denied in his cross-complaint that Revoy was ever hired as an employee of DFG – although he was considered for the CEO role – and, instead, claims that he ‘unilaterally inserted himself into DFG’s business and attempted to secure an equity position for himself in DFG (as well as other businesses owned by El Moussa).’
Revoy discusses what it was like working for the father-of-three in the complaint.
He details one incident that took place between El Moussa and one of his assistants on July 21, 2022 while on set filming with HGTV.
Jeffrey is also suing Tarek’s business partner, Peter de Best (pictured with Tarek), who is the co-founder and managing member of Tarek Buys Houses
Revoy noted that de Best – who he specifically accuses of assault in the court docs – ‘threatened to touch plaintiff in a harmful manner’
‘El Moussa lost his temper and threw a sandwich at one of his assistants, complaining that it did not have mustard,’ Revoy alleges.
‘Finding this incident highly upsetting, an unknown member of the production crew filed a complaint reporting the incident to HGTV Human Resources.
‘On information and belief, no formal action was taken by HGTV Human Resources because the person struck by the sandwich was not an employee of HGTV.’
Revoy continues, ‘On the same day, a long-time employee of El Moussa (who worked directly with him) submitted a letter of resignation in which she reported “inexcusable” behaviors, including “screaming, yelling, cussing and calling names.”‘
Both the production crew member and the long-time employee were not named in Revoy’s lawsuit.
Around the same time, the ex-staffer alleged that El Moussa ‘began experiencing cash flow difficulties’ and that the issues ‘manifested themselves both in the operations of his businesses as well as in his personal actions.’
‘On or about July 7, 2022, El Moussa commented to Revoy (via text message) that HGTV owed him money, blaming his agent for “dropping the ball”.
‘Additionally, El Moussa had taken a substantial sum of money, believed to be $250,000, out of DFG. The funds were not profits, and the removal of those funds contributed to a financial shortfall for DFG.’
Tarek has a history of blowing up on set. He famously had an argument on set of Flip or Flop back in July 2021 with his ex Christina Haack
According to reports, he flipped out at her after he disapproved the way she signaled to him that it was time to get to work
Tarek also went off on his wife Heather El Moussa as seen in a recent episode of The Flip Off
He continued, ‘El Moussa was forced to find funds to replenish DFG’s accounts. Finally, El Moussa had to back out of a co-investment with Revoy on a project that would have benefitted his businesses because, “I [El Moussa] simply don’t have the money.”‘
DailyMail.com reached out to HGTV for comment and did not immediately hear back.
Another instance that’s described in the court papers where El Moussa used threatening words – specifically to ‘destroy’ Revoy – was on December 23, 2022, when the entrepreneur and the TV personality were both in attendance at a meeting of the Board of Directors for another entity.
Revoy recalled, ‘An offer had been made to the entity by an investor, and Revoy indicated that the Board of Directors (of which Revoy and El Moussa were both members) must hold a vote on the offer.
‘El Moussa resisted and wanted to delay a vote. Revoy pointed out that as members of the Board of Directors, they had an obligation to hold a vote, even if the vote was to decline the offer.’
He continued, ‘El Moussa, enraged by Revoy pointing out El Moussa’s responsibilities to the entity and its shareholders, aggressively said to Revoy, “F**k you, Jeff, I’m going to destroy you in 2023.”’
The type of work environment that El Moussa and de Best led were brought to light when an outside Human Resources consulting agency conducted a Human Resources Assessment in the early part of 2022, per the docs.
Tarek Buys Houses employees commonly expressed, according to the court papers, that de Best was ‘demeaning’, and that he ‘insult[ed] people’.
He also allegedly used ‘communication and language that [was] inappropriate for the workplace (referencing age, body, and making comparisons of people to his dog).’
Revoy noted that de Best – who he specifically accuses of assault in the court docs – ‘threatened to touch plaintiff in a harmful manner.’
‘At the time Debest threatened to touch plaintiff, he was acting within the course and scope of his employment with TBH and was purporting to act on behalf of TBH,’ Revoy states in the court docs.
‘It reasonably appeared to plaintiff that Debest was about to carry out his threat of harm against plaintiff.’
Revoy concluded that, all in all, he ‘has suffered and will suffer harm, including lost past and future income and employment benefits, damage to his career, and lost wages, unpaid expenses, and penalties, as well as interest on unpaid wages at the legal rate from and after each payday on which those wages should have been paid, in a sum to be proven at trial.’
He also claims to have ‘suffered psychological and emotional distress, humiliation, and mental and physical pain and anguish, in a sum to be proven at trial.’
Revoy is demanding a jury trial and is estimating the amount he should receive exceeds $25,000.00.
A case management statement was filed earlier this month, requesting a jury trial that Tarek and the defendants’ attorneys believed would last five to seven days.
Tarek is set to go to trial in July 2025 over his court case with Jeffrey Revoy. The ex-staffer sued him a second time in 2024 for repudiating his ownership interest in TEM Capital
The case is still ongoing and there is no trial date set at the moment for this case.
In the second lawsuit, which was filed last year, Revoy is suing Tarek and TEM Capital Management alleging Revoy was named CEO but did not receive his portion of the company after El Moussa allegedly froze Revoy ‘out of any ownership, management, or participation in the operations of TEM Capital.’
‘As co-equal board members/managers, El Moussa owned 75 percent of the company’s membership interest and Revoy 15 percent, with 10 percent held in reserve for Revoy or the company’s future employees,’ he alleged.
Revoy stated that he helped with the negotiation and closing of the company’s first two multi-million dollar real estate transactions.
‘But once Revoy got the business up and running—and primed and ready for massive success—El Moussa decided he would just keep it all for himself,’ the lawsuit states.
‘So he reneged on their enforceable bargain and pretended—despite all evidence to the contrary—that Revoy never had an interest in TEM Capital.
‘He denied and repudiated Revoy’s ownership interest. He removed Revoy as manager and CEO without the required board approval or membership vote.’
Revoy’s lawsuit further claimed, ‘He deprived Revoy of his profit distributions and removed him from the company’s online banking account. After leveraging Revoy as the CEO and co-founder to his and the company’s benefit, he used his fame to persuade the world that he and he alone founded the company.
‘But that approach to lying and cheating his way to sole ownership is, in the end, inept and directly contradicted by hundreds of emails and text messages, controlling legal documents, and the plain as day reality that, ironically, the reality-TV star thinks he can simply wish away into non-existence.’
The amount in controversy is greater than $35,000.
He is seeking an accounting of TEM Capital’s revenue generating transactions and the net profits and cash distributions owed to Revoy; a constructive trust in Revoy’s share of any TEM Capital net profits, proportional to his 15 percent ownership interest, from any revenue generating transactions; and for declaratory relief determining Revoy’s membership interest in TEM Capital and his associated ownership rights.
Tarek and TEM Capital filed a response on May 2024, denying every allegation.
The jury trial for this breach of contract lawsuit is scheduled for July 2025 and expected to last five to seven days.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Tarek and the defendants’ attorney for comment.
Tarek and Christina famously had an argument on set of Flip or Flop back in July 2021, as reported by TMZ, after he allegedly disapproved of the way she signaled to him that it was time to get to work.
Production sources told the outlet that Tarek went on a verbal tirade against his ex and even compared her to his then-fiancée, Heather, saying she was hotter and wealthier than Haack.
Tarek currently stars in The Flip Off with Heather El Moussa and Christina Haack
The Flip Off follows the three as they renovate and flip a house for the biggest financial gain
Sources also claimed that El Moussa bragged that he ‘made’ his ex-wife and called her a ‘washed-up loser.’
‘Look at me, look at me, look at me. It’s called winning,’ he reportedly screamed at her, adding, ‘The world knows you’re crazy!’
In a January 2025 episode of The Flipping El Moussas, Tarek had an on-camera argument with his wife Heather while working with his sister, Angelique.
Instead of a sibling rivalry, Tarek and Heather broke out into an all-out shouting match after they disagreed about what tile to use in the bathroom.
‘You’re the one who’s making it confusing!’ Tarek shouted at his wife, who then responded, ‘No I’m not!’
After getting frustrated, Tarek walked away from the table, stating, ‘All right, break!’
Tarek is currently starring in The Flip Off with Heather and his ex Christina. In the most recent episode, Christina’s ex, Ant Anstead, butted heads with Christina and Tarek in a tense moment.
