All That Jazz That Did Not Get Played

The New Hampshire Supreme Court has accepted an attorney’s resignation in an order that directed him to pay the costs of his discipline investigation of discipline and prosecution.

The New Hampshire Department of Justice had this report involving an attorney with the same name

Attorney General John M. Formella announces that Camps for Grownups, LTD. (“Camps”), entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced on one felony count of committing unfair and deceptive acts or practices in violation of New Hampshire’s Consumer Protection Act. The plea and sentencing took place at the Rockingham County Superior Court today.

Camps is a domestic for-profit corporation, incorporated under the laws of New Hampshire. Camps manages and markets adult activity camps, including but not limited to a Jazz Camp and a Ballroom Dancing Camp. Camps is owned and operated by Byron J. Siegal, age 75 of Quincy, Massachusetts

Under the terms of the sentence, Camps is required to make full restitution of approximately $130,000 to all 85 impacted consumers. Camps is prohibited from accepting any prepayments or deposits for a period of up to ten years. Camps was also fined $100,000 for its conduct, with the entirety of the fine suspended for ten years contingent on full compliance with the terms of the sentence.

By pleading guilty, Camps admitted that between April 1 and July 21, 2019, Camps purposely engaged in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the course of commerce. Specifically, the business admitted to causing email solicitations to be sent, which encouraged consumers to register for the Jazz Camp and maintaining a website that allowed new consumers to register for the Jazz Camp that was scheduled to take place in August, 2019, despite knowing that the business lacked sufficient funds or a reasonable anticipated source of future funding to hold the camp as advertised.

(Mike Frisch)