Vishal Garg, the former CEO of Better Home & Finance, claims he was "hoodwinked" by his replacement, Daniel Lewis, and is now seeking to reclaim his position. Garg, who gained notoriety for laying off 900 employees on a Zoom call just before the 2021 holidays, asserts that he was on the verge of a significant company turnaround when he was fired on August 3.

Under Garg's leadership, Better Home & Finance saw its valuation plummet from $8 billion during the pandemic-fueled refinancing boom to $300 million. The company faced numerous challenges, including a disastrous SPAC merger and mounting losses. However, Garg argues that Better's annual sales are projected to reach $200 million this year, up from $70 million in 2023, driven by AI advancements in mortgage processing and partnerships with companies like Intuit and Coinbase.

Garg acknowledges the reputational damage from the Zoom layoffs but believes his execution wasn't perfect. He contends that Lewis, who joined the board recently, manipulated his way into the CEO position with false promises. Investors appear to agree, as Better's stock has fallen 45% since Lewis took over. Garg, armed with special voting shares and retaining lawyer Alex Spiro, has demanded his reinstatement, offering to work for $1 a year.