LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Legal Newsline) - A Little Rock woman is suing Florida company Valiant Consultants, Inc. and its founders related to allegations they defrauded her with an offer to build and run an online store through Amazon.com.
The suit was filed March 1 by attorney Stephen B. Niswanger on behalf of Courtney Lewis in Pulaski County Circuit Court.
The suit alleges that, in spring 2020, the defendants – co-founder and CEO Steven Mayer, as well as co-founders Justin Preer and Mike Fisher – offered to Lewis to establish and run an Amazon store for her in exchange for a payment of $30,000. Allegedly, the store would be fully automated.
Lewis also alleges that, during a phone call with Mayer when she expressed concerns about the company’s business model, she was promised a full refund if she decided to stop doing business with Valiant. However, he is alleged to have told her he could not put the refund offer in writing due to Federal Trade Commission rules.
In addition to the one-time, $30,000 payment, the suit alleges Lewis paid a service fee of $750 to the defendants, but only received a total of $219.12 in payments over the course of 2020. In September, Valiant is alleged to have gone out of business and shut off its phone.
Lewis is seeking $30,750 in compensatory damages, as well as interest, punitive damages, costs and attorney’s fees.