LawFuel.com – 4 September, 2009 – Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that his office filed a lawsuit against a Boca Raton company that allegedly preyed on aspiring authors. According to the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Writer’s Literary Agency and owner Robert Fletcher used more than 20 websites and related companies to collect funds from potential authors, but misled victims about fees, costs, and promised results.
The Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division received more than 175
complaints from around the world claiming Fletcher and his associates, who claimed to act as literary agents and publishers, allegedly collected
money from victims anxious to see their work published. Potential writers
paid anywhere from $89 for an initial critique to over $600 for various
services including editing and marketing of a manuscript to publishers.
Allegedly, Fletcher also told potential writers that fees were paid from
book sales when in fact all costs of publishing were paid by the authors.
According to the lawsuit, few books were ever sold as a result of the
efforts of Fletcher’s companies.
Investigators determined Fletcher expanded into the field of publishing
within the past year. Fletcher admitted to having no background as a
literary agent and to using at least 10 aliases in his businesses.
The lawsuit seeks injunctive relief against Robert Fletcher and his
associates, as well as his many businesses, prohibiting further business
activities in the field of literary agencies or publishers. The Attorney
General is also seeking full restitution on behalf of all victimized
consumers, civil penalties of $10,000 for each violation of the Florida
Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and reimbursement for fees and
costs related to the investigation.
