HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - A New York energy company is being sued for allegedly charging customers significantly more for energy services than traditional suppliers.
Susanna Mirkin and Boris Mirkin filed the lawsuit July 10 in U.S District Court in Connecticut against Viridian Energy.
The lawsuit claims Viridian, which services 400,000 customers in 11 states, offers an “affordably green” promise that promotes lower energy costs.
“Instead, it developed and deployed deceptive and unlawful marketing and sales practices that result in its energy customers paying far more green than they would have paid had they stayed with their traditional energy suppliers,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit said the company “entices” customers to sing up for its services by offering a short-term, fixed-rate plan that usually expires six months after customers sign up. Once the short term plan expires, customers are enrolled into a month-to-month variable rate plan without their consent.
The plaintiffs are seeking class status for those who signed up with Viridian. They are also seeking damages of more than $5 million plus court costs.
The plaintiffs are represented by Joseph D. Garrison of Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Richardson, Fitzgerald & Pirrotti, P.C. in New Haven, Conn.; Steven L. Wittles, J. Burkett McInturff and Tiasha Palikovic of Wittles Law, P.C. in Armonk, N.Y.; and Daniel Hymowitz and Andrey Belenky of Hymowitz Law Group PLLC of New York City.
U.S. District Court District of Connecticut case number 3:15-cv-01057.