Florida lawyer basic sues proprietor of pool development firm arrested for ripping off dozens of shoppers
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TAMPA, Fla. – Florida Lawyer Normal is suing a pool development firm and its proprietor for allegedly ripping off dozens of shoppers.
In response to the AG’s workplace, Cox Swimming pools of the Gulf Coast and its proprietor Hillary Bello allegedly misrepresented the timeline for swimming pools to be constructed and refused to challenge refunds to clients for the work not carried out. Moody mentioned clients paid the corporate greater than $1.5 million on premature and unfinished initiatives.
Each Erica Villalobos and Filip Majewski mentioned their monetary future is in ruins due to Cox Swimming pools of the Gulf Coast.
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“We’re tanked financially for years to return. All of the plans and faculty funds are on maintain for the subsequent 5 years. It is extremely tough,” former buyer Majewski mentioned.
Majewski’s pool sat unfinished in his yard for months after signing a contract with Cox Swimming pools of the Gulf Coast in April 2021 to construct a pool. He paid the corporate $70,000 within the type of three installments, however he mentioned the corporate abruptly stopped development in July 2021, citing delays in supplies and labor.
He mentioned his final communication with the corporate was in December 2021 after they instructed him his pool can be accomplished by Might 2022, however he by no means heard from them.
“It was in all probability the worst mistake in my life to need to undergo this complete course of,” Majewski mentioned.
It was the same story for Villalobos, one other former buyer of the corporate.
“A real nightmare. If I might give the pool again, I’d give it again,” Villalobos mentioned.
She paid Cox Swimming pools of the Gulf Coast $64,000 for a pool that was ultimately completed, however they mentioned a number of components had been put in incorrectly costing them ten of 1000’s of {dollars} to repair.
Courtesy: Erica Villalobos
“We will not get our a reimbursement. We’ve one mild that works within the pool. We’ve 4 children. That is a hazard in so some ways, in order that they need to be within the pool throughout the day. I’ve attain out to attempt to appropriate it myself and nobody solutions,” Villalobos mentioned.
FOX 13 made makes an attempt to get in contact with Cox Swimming pools of the Gulf Coast and its proprietor Hillary Bello, however their listed telephone quantity was disconnected. Prospects we spoke with mentioned they have not heard from her in additional than a yr.
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In June, Bello was arrested by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Workplace and charged with embezzlement and organized fraud in reference to unfinished swimming pools.
Moody filed this lawsuit towards Bello and the corporate on Monday, looking for a financial judgment towards them for misrepresenting the timeline for swimming pools to be constructed and for refusing to challenge refunds to shoppers for the work not carried out.
“Cox Swimming pools and its proprietor ripped off greater than 25 Florida shoppers, taking greater than $1.5 million and by no means ending the agreed upon jobs,” Moody mentioned in a press release that was launched Monday. “The shoppers had been left with harmful holes of their backyards and extreme monetary losses. That is unacceptable, and we’re taking motion to completely ban this proprietor from working a pool enterprise.”
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