BRADENTON – Shawn Kaleta’s alleged actions figured prominently in the discussion that occurred during a June 4 hearing regarding a motion to dismiss two separate but similar civil lawsuits StayTerra Vacations filed against Kiri Stewart and Jennifer Warren-Kaleta in 2025.
The original lawsuit com plaints filed on Dec. 19, 2025, with the 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Bradenton named StayTerra Vacations, Prime Vacations and GSP Prime Holdings as the plaintiffs. One lawsuit named Stewart and several rental property-related LLCs she is or was associated with as the defendants. One lawsuit named Warren-Kaleta and several rental property-related LLCs she is or was as sociated with as the defendants. Shawn Kaleta is not named as a defendant in either lawsuit, but his actions and involvement are frequently referenced in the complaints.
According to the complaints, on or around Sept. 18, 2024, GSP, through StayTerra, closed on a transaction with the founders, owners and certain other seller entities to acquire a ma jority stake in Prime Business. The lawsuit complaints identify Shawn Kaleta and Roman Eckert as the Prime Business owners and founders. The complaints allege a breach of contract for the $105 million consideration StayTerra paid Prime Business in exchange for the exclusive right to collect management fees for the properties for a minimum of seven years.
According to the lawsuit complaints, the Prime Business owners/founders also agreed to five-year no-compete provisions. The lawsuits allege those provisions have been violated.
According to the complaints, GSP (Garnett Station Partners) is a New York City-based invest ment firm with managed assets of more than $3. 5 billion.
MOTIONS TO DISMISS
Circuit Court Judge Charles Sniffen presided over the virtual hearing conducted via Zoom on June 4. The hearing pertained to the motions to dismiss filed on behalf of Stewart and Warren-Kaleta in February.
During the hearing, the interests of Stewart and Warren-Kaleta were represented by attorney Megan Michalski.
Michalski claimed that since Stewart and Warren-Kaleta did not sign the contract with StayTerra, and were not parties to the contract, they cannot be bound by the contract. Michalski also stated the contract does not bar the transfer of rental properties and the self-management of those properties.
“They (Stewart and Warren- Kaleta) are not named in the contract anywhere. The contract promises a revenue stream unless the property is sold or transferred. It specifically says ‘transferred,’” Michalski said. “It also contemplates that if sold or transferred, the new owners can self-manage upon the sale. There is no prohibition against the properties being used as vacation rentals. They allowed the properties to be transferred and self-managed. We ask the complaint to be dismissed.”
Anthony Paduano, of the New York City-based Paduano and Weintraub law firm, represented the plaintiffs (GSP/StayTerra) during the hearing.
“The plaintiffs allege that, in short, they have been swindled,” Paduano said. “Mr. Kaleta is the signatory on the agreement as the agent for the LLCs that are being named as defendants. Kiri Stewart is the current partner of Mr. Kaleta and Jennifer Warren- Kaleta is the former wife of Mr. Kaleta.
“Mr. Kaleta signed as agent for these LLCs and what’s happened is that this transaction is one in which plaintiffs paid $105 million in consideration to Mr. Kaleta as agent in part for the revenue streams over seven years for these LLCs,” Paduano said.
“We do know that the value that we paid is substantial and it’s not just been compromised, it’s been vaporized from our perspective. Has the agreement been breached? Absolutely. Did Mr. Kaleta sign as manager of these entities? Yes, he sure did. Have we been compensated and paid these revenue streams? No,” Paduano said.
Paduano alleged some rental properties were transferred to Stewart or Warren-Kaleta to circumvent the StayTerra/Prime Business agreement.
“The transactions are not bona fide. Some of them are $10 transfers, not legitimate transactions,” he said. “Sometimes the mortgages didn’t move. They remained with the LLCs and the agent is still responsible for them and his personal guarantees. Discovery will prove they’re not proper transfers at all.”
Sniffen said he would issue a written order on the requested motions to dismiss.
The next scheduled court hearings are on June 30.
The two-week nonjury trial period is currently scheduled for August 2027.
