- Following a one-week trial, the office of Florida AG Ashley Moody obtained over $20 million in judgments and penalties and a lifetime industry ban against a network of eight related moving companies and their owner, Ohad Guzi, for violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, the Florida Moving Act, the Interstate Transportation Code and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations.
- Circuit Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips found that, between January 2015 and April 2018, Guzi and the defendant companies engaged in a wide variety of deceptive practices targeting consumers, including falsely representing that end-to-end moving services were provided when, in fact, third-party untrained day labor was used. Guzi and the defendant companies also misled consumers concerning the amount and availability of insurance coverage, provided low pricing estimates and increased prices significantly on moving day despite purportedly binding estimates, and misrepresented anticipated delivery dates. Guzi also intentionally created a confusing web of interrelated companies, DOT identification numbers and company names that sounded like major interstate household goods carriers.
- Under the terms of the order, Guzi and the defendant companies are permanently enjoined from owning or conducting business in Florida related to the household goods moving industry. The order also awarded the AG’s Office $5,289,306 for consumer relief and disgorgement and $16,500,000 in civil penalties, as well as attorney’s fees and costs.