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'Hi, I'm Roni Deutch, and I'm the Defendant.'
If you haven't seen a commercial for "Tax Lady" Roni Deutch, you must be either blind or Amish, making it extremely unlikely that you're reading this post. But just in case, they look something like this:
Yes, she's always that grating. But it seems the California Attorney General wants her to pipe down. Via Consumerist comes the news that Deutch is on the wrong side of the "v." in a suit seeking $34 million in restitution for Deutch clients who claim that the "tax relief" she promised never quite materialized.
The press release issued by the AG's office minces no words:
When potential clients call Deutch's boiler room, sales agents employ
high-pressure sales tactics plus a series of misrepresentations and
false promises to persuade them to retain her firm. The sales agents
claim Deutch's success rate in dealing with the IRS is as high as 99
percent. But the percentage of clients whose tax bills Deutch actually
reduces is a mere 10 percent.
If I ever buy a bar, I may well name it "Deutch's Boiler Room."
There's a preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for tomorrow, in which state lawyers will try to convince a judge to "enjoin Defendants from continuing to engage in the unlawful, fraudulent, and deceptive practices that have jeopardized thousands of consumers already in financial distress." 9 a.m., California Superior Court, Sacramento County, before Judge Steve White. If you live in the neighborhood and have nothing else to do, swing by the courtroom. And please tell Roni that I said "Hi."
Posted by Eric Lipman on August 24, 2010 at 01:57 PM | Permalink
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