TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Attorney General Pam Bondi says the assets of Camp Warrior in Jefferson County have been frozen and she is seeking refunds for parents.
Bondi had filed a court action against the summer camp company and its owners for suddenly canceling camp and leaving some parents without refunds of up to $4,600.
The Second Judicial Circuit Court granted her motion for temporary injunction prohibiting defendants Camp Indian Springs, Camp Warrior, Costa Vathis and Derek Hart from taking further deposits, Bondi said in a news release Tuesday. The court also granted her request to freeze the defendants' assets.
"My office is pursuing refunds and legal action to keep the defendants from deceiving any other campers," Bondi said.
Bondi's complaint alleges that Derek Hart owned and operated Camp Warrior as an established sleep-away summer camp.
She said Hart falsely claimed to be in business for more than 40 years, when, in reality, he had only owned the camp since 2016 and did not have the proper permitting to operate.
Neither Jefferson County nor the Florida Department of Health had approved the necessary licenses for the camp to operate, she said.
The defendants abruptly canceled the camp after DOH received information indicating Hart was operating the camp without permitting. The cancellation left parents and children confused about plans for the summer and the status of payments made.
The complaint alleges violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and seeks permanent injunctive relief, full restitution and civil penalties and fees.
