Attorney General Tim Griffin released the following statement announcing a Pulaski County Circuit Court order requiring the former owners of Big Country Chateau to pay the State of Arkansas $11,236,000:
“I am pleased with the outcome of this case, as the court has ordered the former owners of Big Country Chateau to pay $11,236,000 in civil penalties for 5,110 violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA). The court also has revoked the Arkansas business license of Apex Big Chateau AR, LLC, which is the only current Arkansas business license held by Big Country Chateau’s former owners. This ensures they cannot prey on more innocent Arkansans with their deceptive and neglectful business practices.
“Successfully prosecuting this lawsuit was one of my top priorities when I took office as Attorney General in January 2023, and it set the tone for my office’s aggressive enforcement of the ADTPA in the years since. Big Country Chateau’s owners had charged utility fees to their tenants and then withheld payment to utility companies, thereby putting tenants at risk of having their utilities shut off. Our lawsuit also included their practice of knowingly renting units with code enforcement violations.
“I am grateful to Assistant Attorney General Amanda Wentz for her tireless and persevering work on this case, as well as to my entire Public Protection Division for their diligence and dedication. As the former owners of Big Country Chateau have now learned, Arkansans will not tolerate deceptive trade practices, and there are consequences for violating our laws.”
Original source can be found here.