Attorney General Bill McCollum News Release
April 9, 2009
Media Contact: Jenn Meale
Phone: (850) 245-0150
en EspañolPrint Icon Print Version

Attorney General Sues Jacksonville Maker of Caylee Anthony Doll, Michael Vick Chew Toy

~ Internet-based business allegedly misrepresented proceeds would support charitable causes ~


TALLAHASSEE, FL—Attorney General Bill McCollum today sued a Jacksonville company and its owner responsible for marketing and selling Caylee Anthony dolls and Michael Vick chew toys, but misrepresenting where proceeds for the sales would go. The lawsuit states Jaime Salcedo and his company Showbiz Promotions, LLC represented to potential customers that profits from the Caylee doll would benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and profits from the chew toys would be directed to local animal shelters and organizations. However, little or no contributions to these organizations have been made by either Salcedo or Showbiz Promotions to date.

“Any company that intentionally misleads innocent consumers to believe they are contributing to worthy charitable causes is absolutely reprehensible,” said Attorney General McCollum. “It is disgusting that a company would exploit a tragic situation for personal gain.”

Showbiz Promotions is an internet-based business which offers a variety of merchandise for sale on its websites www.cayleedoll.com, www.vickdogchewtoy.com, and www.wheresmyplea.com. The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division began investigating Salcedo and Showbiz Promotions after receiving over 200 complaints about the sale of the Michael Vick dog chew toy in 2008.

“The case against Michael Vick galvanized the public against the horrible cruelty of dogfighting and it is inexcusable for anyone to take advantage of that sentiment for their own gain,” said John Goodwin, manager of animal fighting issues for The Humane Society of the United States. “We congratulate Attorney General McCollum for demonstrating that this sort of alleged fraud, at the expense of struggling animal shelters, will not go unpunished.”

New complaints have since surfaced over the company’s use of Caylee Anthony’s name and likeness for the “Sunshine Doll Collection” and other “Caylee Sunshine” merchandise. The lawsuit states the company and Salcedo intentionally misrepresented that a $5,000 donation was made to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by Showbiz Promotions when, in fact, only a $10.00 donation was confirmed.

“This effort is outrageous and attempts to exploit the tragic murder of a child for personal benefit,” said Ernie Allen, President and CEO, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. “NCMEC does not and will not ever be associated with any attempt to commercialize or raise money in connection with the victimization of any child.”

The lawsuit requests the Duval County Circuit Court issue a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants from operating www.cayleedoll.com and from engaging in any activity in violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The Attorney General is also seeking civil penalties in the amount of $10,000 per willful violation of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

A copy of the lawsuit is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/JFAO-7QXM6P/$file/showbizcomplaint.pdf

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