Attorney General Ashley Moody today announced consumer refunds for parents of campers planning to attend a now shuttered summer camp. The refunds come after an investigation and litigation brought by the Florida Attorney General’s Office resulting in a consent judgment against Camp Warrior, LLC, Camp Indian Springs, and owner Derek Hart. According to the investigation, the defendants accepted deposits from consumers before closing in June 2018 and failed to provide consumers with refunds. The court order provides full restitution for all affected consumers that requested a refund.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “These parents spent a lot of time and money researching summer camps and making reservations for their children. But when it came time to send their kids to this camp, there was nowhere for them to go. Not only did the conduct of the defendants cost parents hundreds of dollars, they ruined summer plans for dozens of Florida children. Thankfully, our Consumer Protection Division acted quickly and launched an investigation. Now the camp is permanently closed, and parents will receive refunds.”
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection investigation found Camp Warrior failed to obtain the necessary operating permits to operate a summer camp in Jefferson County. A few days after opening, officials from the Jefferson County Department of Health shut the camp down for health and safety reasons, leaving parents scrambling to find alternative placements for their children—sometimes paying for another summer camp altogether.
Parents paid amounts ranging between $650 to $900 per child for each week of the Camp Warrior program. Camp Warrior did not directly provide any refunds, though some consumers received money back through credit card companies.
The judgment rules that Hart and the companies be barred from controlling a residential or day camp or the bank accounts of any residential or day camp. In addition, the defendants are prohibited from accepting payments for services or products in advance of providing the product or service for a period of 10 years.
