Apex South Creek DST Investigation & Lawsuit Update — Iorio Law PLLC Investigates Broker-Dealer Sales of Versity Investments-Sponsored DSTs

Iorio Law PLLC

Iorio Law PLLC is investigating investor claims related to the sale of the Apex South Creek DST, a real estate investment sponsored by Versity Investments, LLC  and now operating as Crew Enterprises, LLC.

Recent developments—including loan defaults, suspended distributions, allegations of misappropriation of investor funds, and multiple Versity Investments lawsuits and Crew Enterprises lawsuits—raise significant concerns for investors and for the broker-dealers who recommended this offering.

If you invested in Apex South Creek DST, contact us for a free consultation.

📞 Call: (646) 330-4624
📧 Email: info@iorio.law
📍 Location: One World Trade Center, 85th Floor, New York, NY 10007
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What Is Apex South Creek DST?

Apex South Creek DST is a Delaware Statutory Trust formed to acquire a newly built Class A multifamily apartment community located at 3060 Southcreek Blvd., Orlando, Florida.

The offering was created and managed by Versity Investments, LLC (formerly NB Private Capital) and affiliated entities now operating under Crew Enterprises, LLC.

Broker-dealers marketed Apex as a stable, income-producing 1031 investment. However, at the time of the offering, the principals of Versity Investments, LLC were already alleged to have diverted and misappropriated syndicated funds away from other DSTs. Further, recent developments demonstrate that the investment has become deeply distressed and may have been unsuitable for many investors.


Who Sold Apex South Creek DST?

Based on information obtained to date, and upon information and belief, Apex South Creek DST was sold to investors by:

  • Brian Nelson of Emerson Equity, LLC
  • Don Linzer of Coastal Equities, Inc. (now Realta Equities, Inc.) and Great Point Capital LLC

These firms and representatives are believed to have sold Apex South Creek to retail investors, including 1031-exchange clients who relied on their brokers’ recommendations and due diligence.

Broker-dealers earned substantial commissions—often 5% to 7%—for selling interests in Apex South Creek DST. Those commissions created strong incentives to push high-risk DST offerings regardless of suitability.

Emerson Equity served as the managing broker-dealer for many Versity-sponsored DSTs, meaning it played a central role in supervising the due-diligence process and coordinating sales through participating broker-dealers.

Coastal Equities (now Realta Equities) has been associated with multiple high-risk alternative investment sales, including other DSTs that later experienced distress.

Upon information and belief, Coastal Equities and Great Point Capital were some of the largest sellers of DSTs sponsored by Versity Investments.


Other Broker-Dealers That Sold Versity-Sponsored DSTs:

Multiple other broker-dealers have sold Versity Investments / Crew Enterprises-sponsored DST offerings, including:

  • Purshe Kaplan Sterling Investments
  • Lion Street Financial
  • Stonecrest Capital Markets
  • Westpark Capital, Inc.
  • IBN Financial Services, Inc.
  • Dempsey Lord Smith, LLC
  • WealthForge Securities, LLC
  • AAG Capital, Inc.
  • Cape Securities, Inc.
  • Aurora Securities, Inc.
  • Capulent, LLC

These firms appear across various Versity-sponsored DSTs, such as The Walk, Vintage, Hayworth Tanglewood, One on 4th, Nine, and others that are now experiencing distress, suspended distributions, or litigation.

The presence of such a wide network of selling broker-dealers underscores the industry-wide distribution of Versity-sponsored DSTs and the potential systemic due-diligence failures related to these offerings.


Distributions to Investors Have Been Suspended:

Multiple investors report that Apex South Creek DST distributions have been suspended, leaving investors without expected monthly income.

The suspension occurred despite the sponsor’s earlier “yield enhancement” marketing, which temporarily increased stated rent to investors using sponsor-funded payments—a red flag indicating that actual property cash flow was likely insufficient to support stated distributions.

Suspended distributions often correlate with impaired property operations and may significantly reduce investors’ ability to recover principal upon sale or refinance.

They are a major indicator of financial distress and are highly relevant to Reg BI and suitability analyses for broker-dealers that recommended the DST.


Apex South Creek Faces Severe Loan Defaults and Multimillion-Dollar Judgments:

Recent court filings show that Apex South Creek is in significant financial distress, including:

$47 Million Judgment Against Versity Invest

Lenders obtained a judgment of approximately $47 million against Versity Invest, LLC, the guarantor for the Apex South Creek financing.

Lender Lawsuit Against Project-Level Borrower

The lenders are also pursuing the project-level borrower, Apex South Creek IB, LLC, another Versity-controlled entity.

Key Allegations From Court Filings

According to sworn lender allegations:

  • Original principal across the notes totaled $42 million.
  • Maturity dates were extended three times (ultimately to May 18, 2024).
  • No interest payments have been made since November 2023.
  • Apex South Creek has allegedly been in default for months.
  • Outstanding principal as of March 31, 2025 is $34,114,356.
  • Total amounts due now exceed $42,953,401.

The lenders also allege that Versity misappropriated syndication proceeds, meaning investor-raised capital was allegedly diverted for improper uses—forcing the lenders to “involuntarily fund” part of the Apex South Creek transaction.

This allegation mirrors claims made in other Versity Investments lawsuits and Crew Enterprises lawsuits, strengthening concerns that the problems at Apex are not isolated.


Investors Sue Apex South Creek DST: Claims of Willful Misconduct and Fraud

Separately, Apex South Creek DST investors have filed litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery:

Apex South Creek DST, et al., 2025-0990-SEM (Del. Ch.)

The investor petition seeks to remove the DST trustee, citing:

  • Willful misconduct
  • Fraud
  • Gross negligence
  • Breach of fiduciary duty

A DST trust-removal action is exceptionally rare and typically occurs only when investors believe the sponsor or trustee engaged in serious wrongdoing.


Serious Allegations Against Versity, Crew Enterprises, Blake Wettengel, and Tanya Muro:

Apex South Creek is not the only DST sponsored by Versity/Crew facing problems.

Multiple lawsuits—including the KHCA/Knights Hill, Nelson brothers, and other DST investor actions—allege that: Blake Wettengel and Tanya Muro through Versity Investments, Versity Invest, and Crew Enterprises diverted and misappropriated syndicated proceeds, “commingled funds,” paid themselves unapproved bonuses, and extracted excessive “partnership expenses.”

In several DSTs, these issues have allegedly contributed to:

  • Suspended distributions
  • Loan defaults
  • Massive deficits in operating and reserve accounts
  • Risk of foreclosure
  • Investor capital impairment or loss

These allegations form the basis of several ongoing legal actions—making Apex South Creek part of a larger pattern of sponsor misconduct.


Why Broker-Dealers May Be Liable for Apex South Creek DST Losses:

Broker-dealers who recommended Apex South Creek DST may be liable for investor losses if they:

  • Failed to conduct adequate due diligence on Versity Investments or Crew Enterprises
  • Failed to detect and disclose material information about Versity, Crew, Wettengel, and Muro, including regarding past allegations of defrauding investors and misappropriating investors’ syndicated proceeds
  • Ignored red flags about the sponsor’s financial condition
  • Recommended an illiquid, high-risk DST to unsuitable investors
  • Misrepresented stability, income expectations, or the true risks of the investment
  • Violated Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) or FINRA Rules 2111, 3110, and 2210

Due diligence failures are especially significant given the now-public allegations of:

  • Diversion of investor funds
  • Sponsor cash-flow manipulation
  • Repeated problems across multiple Versity-sponsored DSTs
  • Financial distress predating the suspension of distributions
  • Severe governance failures and trustee misconduct claims

Given that allegations of misappropriation surfaced as early as 2020, a reasonable due-diligence inquiry would have identified material red flags requiring enhanced scrutiny

FINRA arbitration is often the most effective way for investors to recover losses against the broker-dealers involved.


What Apex South Creek Investors Should Do Now:

If you purchased Apex South Creek DST—or are researching the latest Versity Investments lawsuit update or Crew Enterprises lawsuit update—you may have strong legal claims.

You may be entitled to recover losses for:

You do not need to sue the sponsor; your claims are typically against the broker-dealer in FINRA arbitration.


Iorio Law PLLC Represents Versity-Sponsored DST Investors Nationwide:

Iorio Law PLLC is a national securities arbitration firm representing investors in claims involving DSTs, private placements, alternative investments, and broker-dealer misconduct.

Our attorneys have recovered tens of millions of dollars for investors harmed by unsuitable investment recommendations involving high-risk, complex investment products.

If you invested in Apex South Creek DST or any other Versity-sponsored DST, contact us today to review your legal rights.

📞 Call: (646) 330-4624
📧 Email: info@iorio.law
📍 Location: One World Trade Center, 85th Floor, New York, NY 10007
🖊️ Free Case Review: Contact Form

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