Court Ordered Dismissal of StoryBuilt Clawback Cases
A judge set an October 30 deadline to drop most suits as the company’s receivership faces a November hearing.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in Construction
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Dozens of clawback lawsuits against former associates of the Austin-based developer StoryBuilt have been ordered dismissed. This move significantly scales back the recovery efforts led by the court-appointed receiver, Stapleton Group.
Why it matters
The reduction in recovery scope follows a series of legal challenges as the firm remains in receivership. The company's future and the status of its leadership are expected to be addressed in upcoming court proceedings.
The potential clawback recovery has dropped to $1.7 million from an original target of over $6 million, with less than $100,000 successfully recovered to date. Currently, 31 clawback cases remain open.
The players
Stapleton Group
The court-appointed firm currently managing the company’s receivership.
Anthony Siela
A former StoryBuilt executive currently named in an active lawsuit.
Ryan Diepenbrock
A former StoryBuilt executive currently named in an active lawsuit.
Chad Shepler
A former StoryBuilt executive currently named in an active lawsuit.
StoryBuilt
The Austin-based developer that entered receivership in mid-2023.
The details
Stapleton Group, the firm overseeing the receivership since mid-2023, was ordered to dismiss all but 10 of its pending clawback cases by October 30. While the Justice Department has declined to prosecute the company following an FBI investigation, a separate lawsuit seeking $5 million from former executives Anthony Siela, Ryan Diepenbrock, and Chad Shepler remains active. The court will hold a hearing on November 13 to determine whether the receivership should continue.
Timeline
• StoryBuilt entered receivership in mid-2023.
• Twenty clawback cases were dismissed in August 2026.
• October 30, 2026, is the deadline to dismiss specific clawback cases.
• November 13, 2026, is the date for a hearing regarding the receiver's future.
The Texas Context
The current court order to dismiss lawsuits extends the 2023 StoryBuilt receivership filing by narrowing the scope of the firm's financial recovery efforts. This follows a period of heightened scrutiny that involved eight different state and federal investigative bodies.
The ongoing legal proceedings may affect the timeline for any remaining assets tied to StoryBuilt developments in the Austin area. Residents should monitor the November 13 court hearing for updates on the company's status.
The takeaway
The court-ordered dismissal of most clawback cases signals a significant shift in the company's liquidation strategy. Watch the outcome of the November 13 hearing to see how the court manages the remaining receivership duties.
What happens next
A hearing on November 13, 2026, will decide the future of the company's receivership, while a trial for the lawsuit against former executives is scheduled for January.
Further reading
Read more about major local projects in our Construction section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Austin American-Statesman.
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