Jepsen
HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen announced on Monday that he has filed a lawsuit against an electric aggregating company for allegedly defrauding an electrical supplier and an association of independent schools.
Turris Associates LLC and Raymond D. Sanzone, its principal owner, allegedly overcharged the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools approximately $180,000.
The lawsuit alleges that the defendants promised the school association that they would negotiate electric power contracts at lower rates than the school association was getting in exchange for fees of one mill, or one-tenth of a cent, per kilowatt hour. Instead, Turris allegedly charged 2.5 mills per kilowatt hour and never reported the fee change to the school.
In three years, Turris was allegedly paid over $300,000 in aggregators' fees, which was more than $180,000 over what the school was contracted to pay.
State regulators had imposed a $360,000 civil penalty against the company on Oct. 13 and revoked the company's authorization to perform aggregate work in Connecticut. As of yet, it has not been paid.
"These schools were looking to a competitive energy supplier for lower cost electricity. Instead, they were overcharged by the agent who was supposed to be representing their interests," Jepsen said. "We're asking the court to enforce this penalty."
The Department of Public Utility Control revoked the company's license to operate after numerous complaints from the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and the Hess Corporation came into Jepsen's office.