The operators of a New Jersey-based telemarketing scheme will pay a record $18.8 million and leave the charitable donation business to settle charges that they violated a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order.
Civic Development Group, LLC; CDG Management LLC; and owners Scott Pasch and David Keezer are accused of misleading consumers to believe they were donating directly to legitimate charities serving police, firefighters, and veterans. In fact, only a small slice of the donations actually went to these charities.
The civil penalty is the largest ever in an FTC consumer protection case and the agency says it should deter others from violating Commission orders and from deceiving consumers and harming legitimate charities.
"This scheme packed a one-two punch: it deceived the people who donated, and it siphoned much-needed funds from police, firefighters, and veterans groups," said David Vladeck, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "The court's final settlement order packs a one-two punch of its own: a record-breaking financial penalty for violating an FTC order and a lifetime ban on soliciting charitable donations."
"Firms and individuals should not mislead the public when soliciting donations for charitable organizations," said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. "The Justice Department will take action when a telemarketer violates an FTC order and takes unfair advantage of the generosity of donors by providing only a small fraction of donations for the charitable purposes for which they were intended."
Under the settlements, the defendants are permanently banned from telemarketing and soliciting charitable donations, and prohibited from making false claims about anything they sell.
Defendants Pasch and Keezer are required to turn over numerous assets to a court-appointed liquidator. Pasch will surrender a $2 million home; paintings by Picasso and Van Gogh valued collectively at $1.4 million; a guitar collection valued at $800,000; $270,000 in proceeds from a recently sold wine collection; jewelry valued at $117,000; three Mercedes, a Bentley, and various other assets. Keezer will turn over a $2 million home, a Range Rover, a Cadillac Escalade, and a Bentley, among other assets.
According to the complaint, Civic Development Group's telemarketers deceived consumers by telling them that they worked directly for the charities they called about, and that "100 percent" of the consumers' donations would go to those charities.
Group has shady history
The FTC first sued Civic Development Group in 1998, charging that telemarketers working for the company's corporate predecessor misled consumers by falsely claiming that their donations would be used locally to buy bullet-proof vests and provide death benefits for deceased officers' surviving family members.
In 2007, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a second complaint referred by the FTC, which alleged that the defendants had violated the prior FTC order. The complaint charged that the defendants tried to circumvent state and federal telemarketing regulations by mischaracterizing themselves as "Professional Management Consultants" who were operating independently from Civic Development Group.
In fact, they continued hiring, firing, managing, and paying the telemarketers. The telemarketers, in turn, continued to falsely tell consumers they worked directly for the charities, which received "100 percent" of the donations collected. In fact, the charities received only 10 to 15 percent of the donations, and the balance went to Civic Development Group, the complaint stated.
And, just over a year ago, Civic Development was among 17 telemarketers sued by the state of California.
In addition to the other settlement provisions, the defendants must take reasonable steps to ensure that their employees comply with the settlement, and comply with standard FTC record-keeping and reporting requirements.
Helpful hints
To keep from getting scammed by "charity" solicitors, here are some tips to remember before making a donation:
• Ask how much of the donation will actually go to the charity (as opposed to the solicitor).
• Always get an address, phone number and contact name.
• Beware of sound-alike names.
• Ask questions, read and listen carefully to all of the information that is presented to you.
• If you donate, do not give cash.
• Be skeptical of excessive pressure for on-the-spot donations.
• Do not give credit card numbers or personal information over the phone.
• Call your state attorney general's Office to check on a charity's status.
State and federal governments have been working together to put an end to such charity telemarketing scammers.
