Carter
INDIANAPOLIS - On behalf of more than 100 unhappy customers, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter is suing book publisher Airleaf, formerly known as Bookman Marketing.
Carter filed the suit Thursday in Morgan County Circuit Court, seeing reimbursement for the allegedly affected customers and civil penalties of up to $5,500 per violation of the state's Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.
"More than 120 people are named in the lawsuit, including many from Indiana who lost thousands of dollars," Carter said. "In fact, hundreds more may have lost money. They paid for services. Airleaf did not deliver, and now those consumers deserve refunds."
Carter alleges that Airleaf and its owner, Carl Lau, advertised that it would provide book publishing, royalty reimbursement and promotional services to consumers.
Those services included in-person participation at book fairs, presentations to movie producers and advertising. Instead, Carter said, the company accepted payment and did not follow through on its promises.
He said the scheme has been going on since at least Jan. 2006, and Lau used company assets to cover expenses unrelated to his business.
From Legal Newsline: John O'Brien can be reached via e-mail at john@legalnewsline.com.