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Important information

• Believed to be out of business:

  According to information in BBB files, it appears that this business is no longer in business.
• Government Actions:

  Government Action: BBB reports on known government actions involving business’ marketplace conduct:

  State of Ohio v Samuel Darling dba Flamingo Collective Case Number 21 CV 7390
  

  The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency.

  
  

  On Nov. 3, 2023, a consent judgment and final agreed entry order was filed in Franklin County Common Pleas Court settling a lawsuit filed Nov. 23, 2021, between the Ohio Attorney General's Office and defendant Samuel Darling doing business as Flamingo Collective for settlement purposes only. According to the state, the defendant sold watches and related goods via a crowdfunding campaign titled “Turtle Conservation Diver” that he operated on the website Kickstarter.com in July and August of 2020 supplying wristwatches to donors, using the slogan “Buy a watch, save a turtle”, and where he committed to supplying wristwatches to donors, using the slogan “Buy a watch, save a turtle” and to giving a portion of the proceeds to turtle-conservation charities. The defendant collected $31,753 from 101 supporters but didn’t deliver the goods he promised in return for pledges, and failed to turn over donations to the charities identified as the campaign beneficiaries until he received pressure to do so, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

  
  

  Under the consent judgment the defendant agreed to:

  
  

  - Pay full restitution to any campaign supporters whose donations haven’t been refunded.
  
  

  
  

  - Pay a civil penalty of $2,000 for the consumer law violations and an additional $2,000 civil penalty for the charitable law violations.

  
  

  - Not conduct any “charitable sales promotions” or act as a “commercial co-venturer” in Ohio for five years and, after that period, only if he meets certain conditions.

  
  

  - Pay court costs.
  
  
  
  

  
  

  For more details you may wish to contact:

  
  

  - The Ohio Attorney General's Office Help Center

  
  

  Toll-free: 800-282-0515 or Local: 614-466-4986, 30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215, https://www.ohioprotects.org/ and https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/November-2023/AG-Yost-Announces-Settlement-with-Creator-of-Crowd 

  
  

  - The Franklin County Clerk of Courts office,

  
  

  373 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, phone 614-525-3600, http://www.franklincountyohio.gov/clerk/cio.cfm or online http://fcdcfcjs.co.franklin.oh.us/CaseInformationOnline/

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