On February 12, 2026, Monat co-founder Luis Urdaneta was arrested in Coral Gables, Florida, on an aggravated battery charge after allegedly intentionally striking a construction worker with his Rolls-Royce, as reported by NBC Miami. The incident occurred on January 9, 2026, when Urdaneta attempted to enter a closed street near Whole Foods, ignoring the worker’s signals to turn around. Police reports state Urdaneta drove forward, hitting and pushing the victim before fleeing the scene. Urdaneta later claimed the worker “jumped in front” of his vehicle, but witnesses and evidence contradicted this, leading to his arrest at his $6.5 million home in Ponce-Davis.
Following his arrest, Luis Urdaneta appeared before Miami-Dade Judge Victoria Sigler, who set a $5,000 bond, allowing his release the next day. The aggravated battery charge, a second-degree felony in Florida, carries potential penalties of up to 15 years in prison and fines, under Florida Statutes § 784.045. Urdaneta’s case remains under investigation, with no formal trial date set. This legal trouble adds to scrutiny on Monat, a Doral-based beauty MLM, amid prior controversies.
The arrest echoes allegations from a 2024 lawsuit by former Monat President Stuart MacMillan, who accused the Urdaneta family of running the company “like a mafia family” with threats and intimidation. The suit, settled in January 2025, highlighted internal power struggles and unethical practices at Monat, a multi-level marketing firm with reported annual sales of $1 billion. While not directly linked, Urdaneta’s alleged aggressive behaviour aligns with claims of a toxic corporate culture, potentially impacting Monat‘s reputation in the $200 billion global beauty MLM market.
The incident could erode investor confidence in Monat, with its stock (if publicly traded) facing volatility, though cryptocurrency markets like Bitcoin ($113,234) and Ethereum ($4,070) remain unaffected. For MLM firms, this underscores risks of executive misconduct, similar to cases like GSPartners settlements. Investors should monitor Monat updates via sec.gov. Looking ahead, Urdaneta’s case may lead to stricter oversight in Florida’s MLM sector, but Monat‘s strong sales may mitigate long-term damage if resolved favourably.
