HARRISBURG - Three hotel guests are suing a resort company over allegations of fraud in overcharging customers.
Erica Bloom Simchon, Isaac Simchon and Nicholas Padula filed a lawsuit July 23 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Highgate Hotels, Cove Haven Inc. and Starwood Hotels and Resorts, citing fraud.
According to the filing, the plaintiffs stayed at the resorts and were required to pay an 18 to 20 percent gratuity fee to staff but that amount was never passed on to staff. The suit states that by requiring a gratuity charge that isn’t allocated to staff, the company is misleading guests and violating consumer protection laws.
The plaintiffs seek class action status, a judgment their favor for declaratory and injunctive relief, and an award of monetary damages and cost of the lawsuit. They are represented by Matthew Blit of the Levine & Blit Law Firm in New York.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania case number 3:15-cv-01434-RDM.