Last Updated
Case Status
Pending
Federal Trade Commission and the States of Alabama; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming; and the District of Columbia; Plaintiffs, vs. Associated Community Services, Inc., a Michigan corporation, also d/b/a A.C. Services; Central Processing Services, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company; Community Services Appeal, LLC, a Michigan limited liability company; The Dale Corporation, a Michigan corporation; Directele, Inc., a Michigan corporation; Robert William “Bill” Burland, individually and as an owner, officer, director, or manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., Central Processing Services, LLC, Community Services Appeal, LLC, Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation; Richard T. Cole, individually and as an owner, officer, director, or manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., Central Processing Services, LLC, Community Services Appeal, LLC, Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation;
Amy Burland, individually and as an owner and officer of Community Services Appeal, LLC; Barbara Cole, individually and as an owner and officer of Community Services Appeal, LLC; Scot Stepek, individually and as an officer, director, or manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., Central Processing Services, LLC, and Community Services Appeal, LLC; Nikole Gilstorf, formerly known as Nikole Luton and Nikole Dicks, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., and as an owner, officer, or manager of Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation; Antonio G. Lia, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., and as an officer or manager of Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation; and John Lucidi, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc.; Defendants.
Amy Burland, individually and as an owner and officer of Community Services Appeal, LLC; Barbara Cole, individually and as an owner and officer of Community Services Appeal, LLC; Scot Stepek, individually and as an officer, director, or manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., Central Processing Services, LLC, and Community Services Appeal, LLC; Nikole Gilstorf, formerly known as Nikole Luton and Nikole Dicks, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., and as an owner, officer, or manager of Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation; Antonio G. Lia, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc., and as an officer or manager of Directele, Inc., and The Dale Corporation; and John Lucidi, individually and as a manager of Associated Community Services, Inc.; Defendants.
FTC Matter/File Number
162 3208
Civil Action Number
2:21-cv-10174-DML-CI
Enforcement Type
Federal Injunctions
Federal Court
Eastern District of Michigan
Case Summary
The Federal Trade Commission, along with 46 agencies from 38 states and the District of Columbia, has stopped a massive telefunding operation that bombarded 67 million consumers with 1.3 billion deceptive charitable fundraising calls (mostly illegal robocalls). The defendants collected more than $110 million using their deceptive solicitations. Associated Community Services (ACS) and a number of related defendants have agreed to settle charges by the FTC and state agencies that they duped generous Americans into donating to charities that failed to provide the services they promised.