HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that his office filed a lawsuit against Crown Food Carts, Inc. and Robert W. Scifo, individually. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants entered into contracts with small businesses to sell mobile food vending trucks, carts, and trailers—as well as related equipment and supplies—through the internet from the website www.crownfoodcarts.com, but failed to deliver the products and/or delivered incorrect products after substantial delays.
“These scammers were a royal disappointment,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “They took advantage of self-employed, small business owners who rely on the products they ordered to operate a successful enterprise and make ends meet. My Bureau of Consumer Protection is here for Pennsylvanians who were scammed and to make sure businesses are providing products for which our citizens are shelling out the dough.”
In one circumstance, a small business in Lehigh County paid the defendants $9,000 in exchange for a customized trailer. The trailer was supposed to be completed within a month of the order being placed, but more than three months later, after numerous delays and excuses from Scifo, the small business owner had not received the trailer. Frustrated, the owner drove out to the pickup address provided by the defendants only to find it was an empty warehouse. To date, the business owner has received neither the product nor a refund.
The lawsuit requests that the court order the defendants to:
- Pay restitution to all people and businesses who have suffered losses as a result of the defendants’ conduct;
- Be permanently enjoined from 1) doing business as a seller of goods or services in Pennsylvania or to Pennsylvania residents and businesses, and 2) any practices that violate the Consumer Protection Law; and
- Pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the Consumer Protection Law and $3,000 for each violation involving a consumer 60 or older.
The Monroe County District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against Scifo regarding the same underlying conduct and Scifo subsequently pled guilty in March 2019 to two felony and misdemeanor counts.
Anyone who feels they were victimized by Crown Food Carts or Robert Scifo is encouraged to file a complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov or contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling 1-800-441-2555 or emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
The lawsuit was filed in the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas by Deputy Attorney General James Wise.
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