Attorney General Moody Secures More Than $20 Million Judgment and a Lifetime Industry Ban Against Deceptive Moving Businesses

Attorney General Ashley Moody obtained a lifetime ban and a final judgment of more than $20 million against a wide-ranging, deceptive moving scheme. Ohad Guzi owned eight Florida moving companies, mainly operated under the following company names: All USA Van Lines Inc., Moving Group, Inc., Top Movers, Inc., Guzi’s Investments, LLC, Cross Country Movers, LLC, 24/7 Moving Services, Inc. and Emoving Company.

The defendants falsely advertised the companies as professional, cross-country moving services performed by well-trained employees in company-owned trucks, when in fact, untrained contractors using rented box trucks provided the moving services, and the delivery services were outsourced to third parties unknown to the consumer. The defendants guaranteed prices to consumers, only to then drastically raise prices on moving day after loading possessions onto trucks. Consumers often had to wait many weeks past the promised delivery date to receive belongings. To further the scheme, the businesses used many fictitious names that appeared deceptively similar to widely known national moving companies. Guzi personally used at least six different aliases.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This wide-ranging, deceptive moving scheme victimized people all over the United States, including many here in Florida, by adding excessive charges to the quoted price, advertising professional moving services that the movers did not provide, falsely promising secure handling of household goods and hiding bad reviews by using a variety of misleading company names. I am grateful to my Consumer Protection team for putting a stop to these outrageous practices and holding moving companies accountable.” Read More

Attorney General Moody Announces Multistate Action Against Ford Motor Company Resulting in More Than $19 Million for States

Attorney General Ashley Moody announced a multistate action that secures $19.2 million from Ford Motor Company. This announcement follows a multistate investigation alleging that Ford falsely advertised the real-world fuel economy of C-Max hybrid vehicles, model years 2013 and 2014, and the payload capacity of Super Duty pickup trucks for model years 2011 through 2014.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “People do a lot of research before purchasing a vehicle. They should be able to trust the information companies use to market cars and trucks before making such an expensive commitment. Through this multistate action, we are helping bring transparency to this process and recovering nearly $20 million. Additionally, Floridians harmed by the alleged deceptive marketing practices received compensation.” Read More

Following Calls by Attorney General Moody and Other State AGs, the FCC Takes Action to Stop Foreign Robocalls

Following calls by Attorney General Ashley Moody and other state Attorneys General, the Federal Communications Commission is taking action to decrease illicit, foreign robocalls. In January, Attorney General Moody urged the FCC to implement new measures that will help prevent foreign-based illegal robocalls used to scam Americans. The FCC will require companies that transmit phone calls originating in foreign countries to U.S. public telephone networks, called gateway providers, to comply with STIR/SHAKEN, a protocol intended to combat caller ID spoofing. The FCC also declared that by June 30, certain small carriers previously afforded an exception must implement STIR/SHAKEN.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The best way to stop scams associated with robocalls is to block the avenues some telemarketers use to send fraudulent automated messages. By working with the FCC, we are gaining ground in our fight to protect Floridians by ensuring carriers utilize the latest technology to try and keep foreign actors from bombarding phones with illegal robocall messages." Read More

Attorney General Moody Announces Arrest of Respiratory Therapist Falsifying Medicaid Reports and Stealing Thousands

Attorney General Ashley Moody is announcing the arrest of a respiratory therapist who defrauded the Florida Medicaid program. Attorney General Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with the assistance of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Desiree Maddox on one count of Medicaid provider fraud. Maddox falsified documentation to bilk Medicaid out of more than $4,000. Maddox worked for a home health care agency, EZ Inspiration, and provided respiratory therapy to a child Medicaid recipient and submitted timesheets for services never provided.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The defendant stopped providing respiratory therapy services to a child Medicaid recipient, despite the patient’s ongoing need for treatment, and continued to bill for services not rendered. This is unacceptable and I am thankful for my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit stopping this fraud.” Read More