Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec has been named in a lawsuit by a ONEflight customer who says the television personality’s endorsements helped persuade him to entrust more than $741,000 to the now-defunct private jet charter broker.
Herjavec denies having an ownership stake or knowing about the company’s financial problems. He told Private Jet Card Comparisons that he was also preparing to sue ONEflight.
“Like many people, including employees, I was completely fooled and deceived by this company and its founder,” Herjavec told the publication.
Customer Mark Heimbouch filed the lawsuit in the US District Court for the District of Colorado on October 22, 2026. It names ONEflight entities, CEO Ferren Rajput, sales executives Mark Dismuke and Mark Sanchez, and Herjavec as defendants.
Heimbouch alleges that he wired another $95,000 to ONEflight on September 15, one day before the company suspended flight services. According to the complaint, sales staff had assured him the business was financially healthy and pressed him to deposit more money to secure future flight rates.
The payment brought his claimed unreturned balance to $741,456.23. Heimbouch says his subsequent demands for a refund were unsuccessful.
ONEflight, based in Englewood, Colorado, sold prepaid jet cards and arranges flights through third-party aircraft operators. Customers deposited money for future travel, with the broker paying operators to conduct the flights.
ONEflight announced its suspension on September 16, saying it would pause flight activity for 30 days or until further notice while reviewing its operations. Rajput had told Private Jet Card Comparisons that customer funds were not held in escrow.
The company’s website has since gone offline.
The lawsuit alleges that Herjavec’s reputation as a successful investor gave Heimbouch confidence in ONEflight’s financial stability. It describes Herjavec as an equity partner as well as a brand ambassador, an assertion he denied in his response.
The claims against Herjavec include fraud, deceptive trade practices, civil conspiracy and unjust enrichment.
Herjavec has appeared in ONEflight’s advertising campaigns since 2019.
The company’s suspension followed other signs of financial pressure. In August 2026, ONEflight announced a 35% surcharge for customers with contracted flight rates, then withdrew it hours later after customer objections. Some charter operators had also reported overdue payments, while others said they had been paid.
Heimbouch is seeking repayment, statutory damages of approximately $2.22 million, punitive damages and legal fees. He has requested a jury trial.