Eric Schmidt flies from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys as legal case advances

Eric Schmidt flew from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys on June 1, a 44-minute hop in his Gulfstream G650ER that touched down at 7:22 a.m. local time. The flight, one of several recent trips between Southern California airfields, comes as Schmidt faces a 2025 lawsuit attempting to void a December 2024 settlement with Michelle Ritter, who alleges rape, assault, harassment, and surveillance, per court filings reviewed by celebplanes.

The Van Nuys area is a known base for Schmidt, who sold his longtime Atherton home in 2024 and now operates from a globally distributed portfolio. The same week, no major public events or conferences are documented in Los Angeles that would explain the trip, suggesting this is likely a return to a residence or a private business meeting. Schmidt's recent flight pattern shows frequent shuttles among Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, and Van Nuys, consistent with a tech billionaire maintaining multiple West Coast footholds.

Schmidt, reported as Relativity Space CEO in 2025, continues to log extensive private-jet hours despite topping CO₂ emission lists in 2023 and 2024. This brief hop adds to a pattern of short, regional flights that keep him connected to his legal and business obligations without the carbon footprint of a longer journey.