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Manhattan Club Lawsuit
We were not aware of this lawsuit. We own 2 weeks in M/C and have called early in the morning 9 months in advance and nothing is available. We love the M/C but think that something is wrong- your lawsuit proves it to us. Please include us in th suit. My e-mail address is clwilder@optonline.net; phone # is (732) 833-2205; address is 122 Wild Dunes Way, Jackson, NJ 08527-4058.
alexc100 wrote:MC owners opened a lawsuite / class action in regards to the MC resrvations.Everyone who is inerested to join the class action please contact me at alexcrystal22@gmail.com
You will be asked to fill out the Survey and send it or email the lawyer's office. It is urgent! Regards, Alex
Charles L.
The New York Post recently, Dec. 9, 2013, did an article on what they called Hotel Hell, the Manhattan Club. Click on the link to see the article.
http://nypost.com/2013/12/01/timeshare-a-hotel-hell-suit/
The class action suit against the Manhattan Club is being filed by Atty. Steve Blau. He can be reached at sblau@bbpc-law.com
Irene S.
Owner and Salesman Convicted in Timeshare Telemarketing Fraud U.S. Attorney’s Office November 21, 2013
Southern District of Florida (313) 226-9100
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that Pasquale Pappalardo, 60, of Coral Springs, Florida, and Audwin Lovinsky, 35, of Tamarac, Florida, were both convicted yesterday in federal court in Fort Lauderdale of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. Pappalardo was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956. After the verdicts, defendants were remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. Defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2014.
In all, 41 defendants were charged for their involvement with a time-share resale telemarketing room called Timeshare Mega Media and Marketing Group Inc. (TMMMG). The other defendants were charged in Case Nos. 11-60190-Cr-Cohn, 11-60247-Cr-Marra, 11-60268-Cr-Hurley, 12-60019-Cr-Scola, 13-60049-Cr-Dimitrouleas, 12-60149-Cr-Scola, 13-60154-Cr-Scola, and 13-60155-Cr-Dimitrouleas. Aside from the two defendants who were found guilty yesterday, 36 defendants previously pled guilty, two remain fugitives, and one is deceased.
According to the evidence presented at trial, in February 2009, Pasquale Pappalardo, also known to the witnesses as “Patsy Ubatz” and “Posh,” and Joseph Crapella, also known to witnesses as “Joey Cigars,” started a branch office of Time Share Market Pro (TMP), a timeshare resale business. The testimony at trial was that they knew each other from a previous stint in federal prison. In June 2009, at the direction of Pappalardo and Crapella, their associates took customer files and the electronic database of TMP, among other items, without the knowledge of the owner of TMP.
Pappalardo and Crapella then took the employees and the documents seized from TMP and formed a second time share resale company called TMMMG. In November 2009 and January 2010, TMMMG hired salesmen who worked for other fraudulent telemarketing resale companies, including defendant Lovinsky, who used the phone name of Edwin Lovins. Among the lies they would tell timeshare unit owners was that they had sold their timeshare units and that they needed to pay a refundable fee to secure the sales. The salesmen would then ask the timeshare unit owners for a fee of at least $1,996 and as much as $10,000. At no time were there any buyers for the timeshare units. The testimony at trial was that both Pappalardo and Crapella were told about the lies being told by the salesmen, but Pappalardo and Crapella would not do anything to stop the salespeople from lying.
During the 10 months that TMMMG was in business, it fraudulently obtained approximately $5,000,000 from about 3,000 customers. Pappalardo received at least $300,000 in checks and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from the money sent by victims of TMMMG.
Pappalardo faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to the greater of $750,000 or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss. Lovinsky faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to the greater of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI in connection with the investigation of this matter. Mr. Ferrer would also like to recognize the assistance provided by the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Broward Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey N. Kaplan.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.
Alex C.
I have fought year after year with the Manhattan Club because they sent the maintenance and tax bill in May!!! I refused to pay it until late December and only after I had a confirmed reservation in my hand. for the first time this year the reservation dept. went by the rules, the first time since I bought in 1997 and the maintenance and taxes were $595.00, and are now $2600. RIDICULOUS! I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THE LAWSUIT STANDS NOW. thanks, patricia heidle pheidle@comcast.net
Patricia H.
john, have your great attorney post his/her name and contact information in this forum. i'm sure the attorney would like the extra business generated from doing so. or is the attorney a non-existent entity?
johnb2353 wrote:Gina, My attorney is not handling the class action suit, but rather helping individual owners get out of their contracts.John
Chris V.
It is more than obvious that all of you need to go on these updates because you lack knowledge about your ownership. When you are there you probably just complain and don't really listen. Keep an open mind. They will answer your questions. Write the down. It makes it much easier. I have been on many exchanges that I meet people who own every kind of ownership from all over the world. I've taught several people by the pool or on an airplane on how to use their ownerships. Here are some typical rules. The owners who follow these are probably the happy owners that are not posting on these blogs.
1) Anyone has a legal right to use their deeded week if you book it at 12 or 13 months out depending on your ownership. (Read your book or contract.)
2) If you have a floating red week then the same is true 12 to 13 months out for booking.
3) If you bought a bi-annual you only have usage every other year. Same rule applies. Book 12-13 months out.
4) Tri-annual is every 3 years. Same rules apply. Book 12-13 months out.
5) If you want to exchange. Same rule applies. Book your week 12-13 months out and deposit it with Interval or RCI. Whoever your Trading Company is.
6) If you don't want to go the same week every year or every other year. Change to a Points Based system where you can choose the dates and the amounts of days you stay or exchange.
7) No one should own a Vacation Ownership that doesn't have maintenance fees. That is what pays the bills. New York is going to be more expensive that other parts of the country. From my understanding The Manhattan Club needed a remodel so at least be happy that you didn't get a special assessment for $5000 like some people did in Hawaii. Most people pay $1600-2100 depending on the room size. It lowers the value for trade if you don't get the remodel.
Vacation Ownership is amazing if you educate yourself on your ownership. I've never heard of someone getting their week that attempted to book at 9 months or less. In fact, I've never heard of that with a traditional Timeshare Week. Only a points based system works that way and if you own in New York, you should still be booking it 12-13 months out depending on the week you want even with a points based system unless your banking on a last minute cancellation.
I hope this helps. If the 12-13 month rule does not apply then get assistance. But I have never heard of it not working, even on a Right to Use in Mexico.
If that doesn't work call the Attorney General of New York not an attorney. 9 times out of 10 the companies that contact you are fraudulent, especially resale companies. Besides, from what I understand there are several companies that own different floors within The Manhattan Club Building as of the last year. Some of which are highly reputable. Your problem may already be resolved.
Crystal C.
Do you work for The Manhattan Club? Sure looks like it when I read your blog. Are you one of the few "happy" timeshare owners. I hope so because I haven't met one yet. I'd really like to meet some people that are satisfied with their ownership. Maybe they could teach me the secrets to getting my monies worth for a timeshare we paid for in full. But, have never been able to use all the seven nights (in the three years) we did not trade because we could never get a room. Maintenance fees were until just recently the highest in the country! Yes, the hotel had a make over and we Timeshare Owners have paid for it! Not the guest that trash the rooms, the ones renting our paid for rooms off the internet websites. The Park Central has had a complete renovation. DID WE PAY FOR THAT HOTEL RENOVATION TOO! They have been updating renovating The Manhattan Club since we purchased it ten years ago. What takes that much time and money to renovate?
I'm glad you think you have all the answers for all the unhappy timeshare owners at The Manhattan Club, because you obviously think that what are doing is up to par.
When you buy a flex plan timeshare and are told at the time of sale that you would be able to use your flex plan on a short term (1 week, 1 month, 2 months or more in advance, or on a long term basis 6, 9, or more out and then find that they change the rules in the middle of the game and you are not able to stay in your own home timeshare you too would be unhappy.
Vanessa S.
Can you tell me how to successfully give back my Manhattan Club timeshare because I can't even get a straight answer. Except for the fact that they want more money before they will take back a timeshare that we can't even use.
If I wanted to trade my weeks in every year I would have bought a less expensive timeshare and one that I know I could have used when I tried to make a reservations.
Have any suggestions? I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on the topic. Do you want my timeshare Crystals120. You can have my week and the maintenance fees that come with it. It seems to work out for you being a owner.
Vanessa S.
It is obvious Crystal works for or has been paid by the Manhattan Club. I have noticed several Manhattan Club sponsored posts around the internet. The thousands of owners who are fighting the Manhattan Club timeshare scam are not ignorant of ways to use timeshares. They recognize the misleading and deceptive sales practices of the Manhattan Club and the fact that timeshare owners at the Manhattan Club are discriminated against. The public can book rooms at the Manhattan Club within a day or two. "Owners" have to book 12 months in advance and even then have no guarantee of getting a room. Even if they can't book a room they have to pay $2000 - $3000 yearly in maintenance fees as owners.
Irene S.
I agree. Her post reads like an advertisement. And in my first years as a Manhattan Club owner, I never had to make a reservation 12 months in advance. It is that way now because they have oversold the property.
John B.
Last edited by johnb2353 on Jan 15, 2014 06:41 AM
I have just discovered this lawsuit was in existence. I would like to be included on any and all discussions. My husband and I bought in 2001 and this has become the worst decision we have ever made. We have tried to sell and realized there were others selling for $1 - which we completely understand.
Deborah S.
Last edited by deborahs489 on Jan 17, 2014 08:48 AM
This timeshare was marketed to us as a flex - contract states you have 7 nights you can split, with a 2-night minimum reservation, and 2 Saturdays max. When I have tried to book all nights divided over two weekends, the availability is not there - and reservations have to be made within the 9 month window. We have been able to get one weekend but not the next- before you know it, your year is gone and you lost nights because they simply did not have availability. I was told it would be better to book all 7 nights together, because that seems to offer more availability - this is not how it was marketed. Again, because we live within 3 hours of NYC, we bought this timeshare because it would accommodate long weekends in the city. Unfortunately, there is never availability.
Deborah S.