Man sues strip club over $50,000 credit card bill
shadowcat
Atlanta suburb
TAMPA --
A man enters a Clearwater strip club. He leaves three hours later thinking he's spent $600.
A few days later he checks his credit card account and learns he was charged $50,000.
There's no punchline or joke.
That's what Lokesh Simon James said happened to him after a March night spent at the Bliss Cabaret, 3860 Ulmerton Road.
James, 32, has filed a lawsuit in Pinellas County Circuit Court against the gentleman's club and a former Bliss Cabaret bartender, Doug Berube. His suit demands that he be repaid the money he says he was overcharged, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.
"There's no way to spend that kind of money," said James' attorney, David Sockol of St. Petersburg. "How many dances would it take before you run up $50,000 at $20 a dance?''
James went alone to the strip club at about 9:45 p.m. on a Wednesday, Sockol said. He said James doesn't deny he spent around $600 in dances, tips and drinks.
Bliss Cabaret officials declined comment.
James, of Pinellas Park, contacted Bank of America to report the charges, Sockol said. He was told that because he was at the club, the charges couldn't be reported as fraudulent, the attorney said.
Sockol said his client is in "shock."
"Do the math,'' Sockol said. "It's impossible to spend $50,000."
A man enters a Clearwater strip club. He leaves three hours later thinking he's spent $600.
A few days later he checks his credit card account and learns he was charged $50,000.
There's no punchline or joke.
That's what Lokesh Simon James said happened to him after a March night spent at the Bliss Cabaret, 3860 Ulmerton Road.
James, 32, has filed a lawsuit in Pinellas County Circuit Court against the gentleman's club and a former Bliss Cabaret bartender, Doug Berube. His suit demands that he be repaid the money he says he was overcharged, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs.
"There's no way to spend that kind of money," said James' attorney, David Sockol of St. Petersburg. "How many dances would it take before you run up $50,000 at $20 a dance?''
James went alone to the strip club at about 9:45 p.m. on a Wednesday, Sockol said. He said James doesn't deny he spent around $600 in dances, tips and drinks.
Bliss Cabaret officials declined comment.
James, of Pinellas Park, contacted Bank of America to report the charges, Sockol said. He was told that because he was at the club, the charges couldn't be reported as fraudulent, the attorney said.
Sockol said his client is in "shock."
"Do the math,'' Sockol said. "It's impossible to spend $50,000."
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11 comments
Sorry Stiletto. I couldn't resist a little friendly dig. lol.
This guy was an amateur asking to get burned.
This is a surprising statement, and it does not reflect my experience. I have disputed credit card charges (never from a strip club and never so large), and the credit card companies have always been very cooperative. One of the best features of credit cards is that you have protection against fraud, and the credit card companies have good reason to help their customers.
Not entirely IMPOSSIBLE.
Mr. Sockol, did you read the story this week of ex NFL player Pac Man Jones regretfully telling rookie players that he blew One Million Dollars in a single weekend on strippers, booze, and drugs?
Like jackslash, I find that statement puzzling. Admittedly I haven't read the Fair Credit Billing Act in its entirety, but I doubt there's an exception in there for strip clubs.
http://ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/cre…
But, they do, do their home work, their "due diligence." If there is any hint of connivance or fraud in the past or the incident in question, they will let you hang.
I agree with the other posters - NEVER USE A CREDIT CARD/CHARGE CARD in the club.