A wellness influencer previously accused of using COVID-19 protections to squat in a Hamptons home was hit with a lawsuit Friday for allegedly misrepresenting her professional relationship with a high-end Montauk hotspot.
The owner of the Montauk Surf Lodge claimed in a Manhattan federal court suit that Marisa Hochberg damaged the brand of the owner’s hotel and bar by using her business names while trying to lure away clients.
The kerfuffle kicked off in 2019 when Surf Lodge owner Jayma Cardoso hired Hochberg at the celebrity hotspot and thought about expanding the business with a yoga studio in Montauk called “The Sanctuary.”
As part of her job, Hochberg controlled social media for the Surf Lodge, the suit states.
In 2020, Hochberg became publicly embroiled in a legal fight over alleged refusal to pay rent at a luxe Hamptons home — and Cardoso decided to end all communication and dissolve an LLC she created for “The Sanctuary.”
Soon after, Cardoso allegedly discovered Hochberg had been using the name in an attempt to lure major clients — including AMEX and Saks Fifth Avenue — to create a “wellness house” in Bridgehampton dubbed “American Express Sanctuary Wellness House.”
“Around the same time, Cardoso made it clear to Hochberg that Hochberg was committing fraud by illegally trying to operate and conduct business as The Sanctuary without Cardoso’s permission or consent,” the suit states.
Hochberg allegedly continued the scam by changing the Instagram name of her wellness house to “@thesurflodgesanctuary” in an effort to trade on Cardoso’s established brand, the suit states.
The suit accuses Hochberg of running afoul of trademark and false association laws.
Cardoso is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to the suit.
Hochberg did not return a request for comment Friday.