Florida Mover Found Guilty Of Inflating Prices And Extorting Customers

Shawn Thompson was found guilty in civil court for a "mover extortion" scheme.

A Florida moving company owner, Shawn Thompson, was accused of stealing from customers. An Orange County court found him guilty and imposed hefty fines, The Miami Herald reported.

On Dec. 4, former customer Scott Meyer was awarded $13,000 in basic damages, $39,000 in punitive damages, and $430 in court costs. Meyer alleged that Thompson gave an initial quote to move his belongings from Orlando to Oviedo on July 11, 2023. The distance totaled 19 miles and was priced at $669.50. However, when Renee Carter, an employee of Thompson’s, arrived at the new location, the price, according to Meyer, was more than doubled to $1,801.

The mover refused to release Meyer’s property unless the inflated price was paid. The scheme resembled extortion, and the courts agreed.

A second filing by previous customers in Miami-Dade Circuit Court was ruled on by Judge Michael Barket. Barket ruled against Thompson and condemned the deceptive tactics used by the mover, calling them “unfair” and “fraudulent.”

Although Barket stated that Thompson’s testimony contributed to the judgment, The Miami Herald noted that there is no record of Thompson responding to any lawsuit filed in Orange County Court.

When the outlet reached out to Thompson for comment, he accused the media of spreading lies and violating his civil rights.

“This is your final warning,” Thompson wrote. “I am not like all these bull—- stories you write just to try to get a name for yourself without facts. These people you write false stories about are reaching out to me to file a suit against you for lies. All your stories have no merit or truth. Write one more lie about me and I’ll see you in court.”

Many of Thompson’s customers believe the claims are valid and have their own grievances. Several of them have reached out to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

“We’ve received 98 complaints since the beginning of 2022 against Thompson Nation Holdings LLC. We have referred a case to our Investigative Section for review based on the complaints we’ve received,” said W. Alan Parkinson, chief of mediation and enforcement.

Thompson is liable for thousands of dollars and appears to be evading responsibility. After conducting the “extortion” scheme against Nicollette Gonzalez, she refused to pay the inflated bill. The move from Miami to Gainesville was inflated by $3,243. In the final court judgment, Gonzalez was awarded $7,619 plus attorney’s fees.

The final judgment also states that any repeat of fraudulent behavior will be considered contempt of court. This applies to all of Thompson’s companies: Thompson Nation Holdings, Small Move Movers, Fresh Start Moving & Storage, and One Man, One Van.