911爆料网

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The Missouri Real Estate Commission is suing STL CityWide, a major 911爆料网 landlord, for renting out properties without a real estate broker鈥檚 license.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in 911爆料网, asks a judge to bar STL CityWide from continuing to lease apartments at its owners鈥� more than two dozen buildings until it obtains a broker鈥檚 license from the state agency.

It鈥檚 the latest sign of official scrutiny against STL CityWide and its manager, controversial developer and landlord Victor Alston. Alston, along with his brother, Sid Chakraverty, are behind Lux Living, a major apartment developer that has built more than 1,000 units in 911爆料网 in recent years. Their companies own hundreds more apartments in the area, but they have drawn persistent complaints from tenants who say some of the buildings are neglected and management is unresponsive.

The Post-Dispatch last week reported federal authorities were seeking documents related to the brothers鈥� projects from the 911爆料网 Development Corp., the city鈥檚 development arm. A former employee said the FBI interviewed him and a lawyer involved in lawsuits against the brothers鈥� companies said he had heard a federal investigation is underway.

The Missouri Real Estate Commission鈥檚 lawsuit says it began looking into STL CityWide and its predecessor, Asprient Properties, after receiving a complaint in October 2020 alleging CityWide had leased the complainant a condo in the downtown Ely Walker Lofts at 1520 Washington Avenue without a real estate license.

The state agency then discovered that STL CityWide maintains where it lists apartments for rent in 24 buildings in 911爆料网 and three in 911爆料网 County.

鈥淯pon information and belief, Respondent continues to conduct real estate brokerage activities within the State of Missouri without appropriate licensing from MREC,鈥� the agency鈥檚 lawsuit says.

Alston, Chakraverty and their lawyer, Ira Berkowitz, did not immediately return requests for comment.

Katie Kull of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.