David Roberts Says He Never Supported “One Boca” Project, But His Name Was Used In Promotion.
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A prominent Boca Raton real estate broker is suing the developer behind the One Boca government campus redevelopment project, its affiliated political committee, and a local attorney, claiming they used his name on a paid political flyer to make it look like he endorsed the project — even after he explicitly told them no. David Roberts, a longtime member of the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club community and a self-proclaimed top-producing broker in that market, filed the lawsuit May 22 in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Named as defendants are Frisbie Group, LLC, attorney Bonnie Miskel, her firm Miskel Backman LLP, and the political committee A Better Boca Raton.
According to the complaint, a flyer promoting a March 3, 2026 evening event in support of the One Boca project was distributed throughout the Royal Palm community listing the gathering as “Hosted by: David Roberts.” Roberts says that was false. The complaint alleges that Miskel personally contacted him before the flyer went out to ask for his consent to use his name, and that he unambiguously refused.
Defendants allegedly published the flyer anyway. The One Boca project — a proposed 1.1 million square-foot mixed-use redevelopment of 7.8 acres of city-owned land, including nearly 1,000 residential units, a hotel, office space, and a grocery store under a 99-year city lease — was already deeply unpopular in the Royal Palm community. Voters ultimately rejected it overwhelmingly.
Roberts says the fallout was immediate. Multiple Royal Palm members contacted him to express disappointment that he appeared to be endorsing the project — a project he says he never agreed to support or even attend an event for. The complaint argues the defendants deliberately exploited his name and reputation to lend credibility and community legitimacy to both the meeting and the larger development push. Frisbie Group held the development contract and stood to benefit financially from the project; A Better Boca Raton, the political committee that paid for the flyer, was organized specifically to generate public support for it.
The lawsuit brings nine counts against the defendants, including unauthorized use of name common law misappropriation, defamation per se, defamation by implication, false endorsement under the federal Lanham Act, civil conspiracy, and aiding and abetting.
oberts is seeking compensatory damages, royalty damages, injunctive relief, and attorney’s fees. He is represented by Graner Platzek & Allison, P.A., based in Boca Raton. Read the complete complaint, below.
