The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured a judgment against Missouri-based timeshare exit company RSI, LLC d/b/a Relief Solutions International and its owners, Philip Russell Turner, II, and Burton Cummings. The judgment requires the defendants to pay a monetary penalty of more than $2.5 million and refund all of their Wisconsin customers. The DOJ sued the defendants in August 2022 based on a referral from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
“This judgment provides relief for Wisconsin consumers and holds the owners of this timeshare exit company accountable. Thank you to those at DOJ and DATCP whose stellar work led to this result,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “We urge Wisconsinites who hired Relief Solutions International to contact our Public Protection Unit.”
“I am pleased that Relief Solutions International is being held accountable for the harm they did to Wisconsin consumers, and that affected consumers will receive refunds,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “I encourage anyone who is considering a timeshare purchase to carefully read and fully understand their contract before signing. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to sell a timeshare or exit a timeshare contract, which can leave consumers vulnerable to being taken advantage of.”
The court found the defendants sent thousands of illegal mailers to Wisconsin residents in an attempt to lure them to in-person sales presentations for expensive “timeshare exit” services. Wisconsinites who attended these presentations purchased services from the defendants, paying significant upfront fees. The company owners, Turner and Cummings, exercised complete operational control over Relief Solutions International and are personally liable according to the judgment.
In addition to the $2.5 million monetary penalty, the judgment requires the defendants to pay over $20,000 to refund specifically-identified Wisconsin consumers and allows all other Wisconsin residents who paid money to request refunds for a period of five (5) years by petitioning the court. The court’s order also permanently bars the defendants from marketing or selling timeshare exit services in Wisconsin and from engaging in any direct marketing in Wisconsin without first notifying DATCP. The judgment was entered by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Diane Schlipper on March 12, 2024.
Wisconsin consumers who paid money to the defendants may contact the DOJ’s Public Protection Unit by phone (608-266-1852) or email consumerprotection@doj.state.wi.us for more information about requesting a refund.
The state was represented in this matter by Assistant Attorney General Colin Stroud with support from Paralegal Lisa Rossman and Legal Associate Barbara Burr.
Original source can be found here.