The judgment includes more than $8.1 million in restitution to defrauded consumers and $2.3 million in civil penalties.
PHOENIX (AP) _ A Maricopa County Superior Court commissioner has returned a $10.5 million consumer fraud judgment against a group of Arizona telemarketing companies.
The judgment includes more than $8.1 million in restitution to defrauded consumers and $2.3 million in civil penalties to the state along with attorney's fees.
The case involved Christopher Lewallen and four of the companies he had started _ Solid Ad Solutions LLC, Solid Tech Solutions LLC, Freedom Billing LLC and EWeb Financial LLC. The companies were accused of fraudulently telemarketing work-at-home businesses opportunities to consumers nationwide.
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne announced the judgment Wednesday. He says the telemarketers preyed on people facing financial problems by cynically offering a program that promised to help earn extra income.
Lewallen could not be reached for comment.
Telephone listings for him in the Phoenix area had been disconnected.
Copyright © 2003-2013 Clear Channel. All rights reserved.
