July 19, 2012 Media Contact: Jenn Meale Phone: (850) 245-0150

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla.–Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Federal Trade Commission have obtained a court order requiring that the Alcoholism Cure Corporation and its owner pay more than $730,000 to consumers harmed by the company, which offered a phony alcoholism cure program. The order also bans the Jacksonville-based company and Robert Douglas Krotzer, the owner, from marketing or selling any treatment or cure for alcoholism, drug addiction, or any other human health-related problem.

“The fact that this company deceived consumers and threatened to reveal their personal information is abhorrent,” stated Attorney General Pam Bondi. “I am grateful to the FTC for their partnership in stopping this company from exploiting consumers and providing refunds for those harmed by this company’s actions.”

The complaint, filed by the Federal Trade Commission and the Florida Attorney General’s Office, alleged that the company prescribed concoctions of dietary supplements claiming they could cure alcoholism. Robert Douglas Krotzer, owner of the company, purportedly charged consumers approximately $350 for the supplements and services and falsely claimed that the consumers could cancel any time. When consumers attempted to cancel their memberships, Krotzer threatened to publicly reveal the consumers’ alcoholism. The company also operated under the names “Enjoy a Few” and “Guilt Free Drinking.”

The company boasted that their “team of doctors” would create customized, low-cost, and permanent alcoholism cures, and they referred to Krotzer as “Dr. Doug” in spite of the fact that neither he nor any of the company’s employees were doctors. Krotzer also claimed that the program had the “best technology to end alcohol abuse permanently” and that the supplements were “scientifically proven to cure alcoholism,” which the court ruled to be false and unsupported claims.

Without authorization, the defendants charged consumers’ accounts between $9,000 and $20,000 for supposedly owed fees. In some cases, Krotzer disclosed consumers’ alcohol dependence to various companies, debt collectors, and a Florida small claims court.

The order prohibits the defendants from using certain trade names, billing consumers without authorization, and taking any further collection actions against consumers. The defendants cannot misrepresent the cost or terms of any offer they make, misstate the professional qualifications of Krotzer or any employee, or claim that the company is a charity.
Florida consumers who have been affected by this scheme are encouraged to file a complaint by calling the Attorney General’s fraud hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or file online at http://www.myfloridalegal.com.