NEW CLAIMS ADD CEO HEATH RITENOUR AND ATTORNEY GEORGE ANTHONY TATUM WITH JOHN AND VALLI RITENOUR FOR ALLEGED SYSTEMIC WRONG DOING, WITNESS INTIMIDATION, THEFT AND STOCK MANIPULATION
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — The Farrow Law Firm has filed an Amended Complaint alleging the principles of Longwood, Florida based Insurance Office of America Inc. (IOA) engaged in Florida’s CIVIL RACKETEER INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS ACT to defraud Plaintiff and other IOA insurance agents out of rightfully owed monies.
“The Amended Complaint alleges that my client’s claims are interrelated to a stock manipulation scheme and criminal enterprise which produces a windfall to Defendants John and Heath Ritenour,” said Attorney Jay Farrow of The Farrow Law Firm.
Access the full complaint at: Amended Complaint with Exhibits
The Amended Complaint states that it is being filed due to the discovery of a plethora of new evidence, with new witnesses coming forward who lived in fear of imminent repercussions for speaking out against Defendants John Ritenour and new Defendant Heath Ritenour. The Amended Complaint also states that additional claims have been added for attempted witness intimidation by IOA in-house counsel George Tatum, concealment or destruction of evidence and Conspiracy to Commit Civil “RICO”. Part of this alleged conduct involves a violation of Fla. Stat. § 914.22– the crime of Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant.
Complaint Allegations
1) This fraudulent “enterprise” involved the systemic wrongful theft of large status accounts by Defendant IOA through “stealing” them from IOA Insurance Agents and engaging in the practice of REBATING.
2) The Amended Complaint alleges Defendants John and Heath Ritenour use these stolen accounts and other mechanisms to artificially manipulate its company’s stock price to scheme against company insurance agents and potential new investors.
3) According to the Amended Complaint, RICO Defendants would then filter some illegally procured commissions through Defendant John Ritenour’s unlicensed entity “1188 Partners LLC” to conceal the scheme.
Upon evaluating RICO Defendants misdeeds, Insurance Industry Regulatory Expert Michael Sapourn, concluded in his Expert Report, which is attached to the Amended Complaint, that these actions could result in the revocation of IOA’s Insurance License and their ability to further conduct business.
Farrow added, “More and more individuals with first hand experience with IOA have been coming forward to tell their story of unlicensed activities, fraud and deception. As our investigation continues, I can only suspect more claims will be forthcoming and more defendants will be added.”
According to the Amended Complaint, the breadth and scope of systemic crime and fraud perpetrated upon Plaintiff (and other victims) supports consequential, punitive and treble damages in excess of Ten Million Dollars ($10,000,000.00).
