- The FTC and Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul won summary judgment and a court order against Christopher Carroll, a timeshare exit operator, after the court found he participated in a timeshare exit scheme that violated the FTC Act, the FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule, and Wisconsin consumer protection laws.
- According to the complaint, Carroll and related companies used direct mail to lure consumers — primarily older adults — to high-pressure sales presentations, where they charged between $5,000 and more than $80,000 for timeshare exit services. The court found the scheme used false and misleading statements and often failed to secure exits or honor cancellation and refund rights.
- Under the court order, Carroll is jointly and severally liable for $95,243,688.50 in consumer redress and $45,485,702 in civil penalties, and is permanently barred from advertising or selling timeshare exit services, engaging in deceptive door-to-door sales, and making related misrepresentations, among other relief.
- This order follows earlier Wisconsin AG scrutiny of timeshare exit companies, including a prior judgment of roughly $2.5 million in civil forfeitures and other monetary relief against Relief Solutions International for similar allegations.