March 4, 2003
Media Contact: Jenn Meale
Phone: (850) 245-0150
Crist Shuts Down Deceptive Moving Companies
Wins immediate injunctions against 11 companies, 4 individuals
MIAMI — Attorney General Charlie Crist today announced that his office, working in conjunction with the FBI, has launched a crackdown on Florida-based moving companies that failed to deliver goods at the prices they promised. At the request of the Attorney General’s Office, four Florida circuit judges today issued injunctions immediately shutting down 11 of the companies for violating the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act.
Crist praised the judges’ decisions to grant immediate injunctions, saying they will prevent the moving companies from victimizing additional Florida customers. The Attorney General’s Office filed civil actions seeking fines, penalties and injunctions against 14 companies and nine individuals accused of engaging in deceptive trade practices by "low-balling" customers. According to Crist, the U.S. Department of Justice announced indictments charging 16 moving companies and 74 individual owners, operators and employees with various federal criminal offenses. All of the indicted companies have offices in Broward or Miami-Dade County.
"Too many Floridians have suffered for far too long at the hands of unscrupulous moving companies. Thanks to the outstanding cooperation between our office and the FBI, today we are sending a clear message to those who prey on our residents: You have no place doing business in our state, and the only place you’ll be moving to is jail," Crist said.
Crist said the moving companies typically lured customers to hire them with promises of low-cost deliveries. Once the customers signed a contract, the companies then demanded substantially higher payments before they would complete delivery. The indictments and civil action against the companies resulted from a joint federal-state investigation, dubbed "Operation Stow Biz," which involved the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The jurisdiction of the Florida Attorney General’s Office is generally limited to moves that occur entirely within the State of Florida.
In announcing the criminal indictments, United States Attorney Marcos Daniel Jiménez said: "One of our quintessential freedoms is the freedom to move about the country, to change homes, careers, and, in essence, change our lives. These defendants struck at that freedom and used the victims' own personal property to extort money. Their scheme is now over. These Indictments are a clear statement that we will not allow people to be cheated out of their own belongings by unscrupulous practices."
A list of companies and individuals targeted by the Attorney General’s civil lawsuit filings follows:
BROWARD COUNTY
-- All State Handling Corporation; All State Handling Moving & Storage, LC; AAA International Van Lines Company; Florida Van Lines Co., and Avraham Elat Kardi a/k/a Avi Karati a/k/a Avi Karadi, individually and as officer and/or director of All State Handling Corporation, All State Handling Moving and Storage, LC, AAA International Van Lines Company and Florida Van Lines Co.
-- All Points USA Relocation Systems, Inc., and Edmund Ben-ami, individually and as officer and director of All Points USA Relocation Systems, Inc.
-- Jenny Schneider, individually and as a former officer and director of Century Express Van Lines; Anthony Oz, individually and as an officer and director of Century Express Van Lines; Avishag Simon, individually and as an officer and director of Century Express Van Lines, Inc., and Century Express Van Lines, Inc.
-- Moshe Schneider a/k/a Michael Schneider a/k/a Moshe Shneider a/k/a Noshe Sineuser, individually and as President of Shneider Van Lines, Inc., East Coast Moving and Storage, Inc., and as an officer and director of Movingcompanies.com Corp.; Shneider Van Lines, Inc.; East Coast Moving& Storage, Inc., and Movingcompanies.com Corp.
-- Yair Malol a/k/a Yanni Malol a/k/a Danny Malol, individually and as president and director of Majesty Moving & Storage, Inc. and NetKing Van Lines, Inc.; Majesty Moving & Storage, Inc.; Netking Van Lines, Inc.; Evenor Anat, individually and as president and director of Apollo Van Lines, Inc. and Apollo Van Lines, Inc.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
-- Anat Ben-Zion, individually and as president and director of Southeastern Van Lines, Inc. and Delvex Moving and Storage, Inc.; Southeastern Van Lines, Inc., and Delvex Moving and Storage, Inc.