A.G.'s White Plains Office Distributes Refunds

Attorney General Spitzer today announced that refund checks are in the mail for members of a Westchester County health club that abruptly closed in May of 1996.

Rosemarie Scholl and Elizabeth Morrella, owners of Slender Magic Figure Salon, Inc. of Yorktown, which offered aerobic classes, strength training and child care facilities, were directed by the courts to pay refunds to their customers and civil penalties.

An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office determined that Slender Magic had violated a law that requires health clubs to post a performance bond with the State in order to protect deposits paid by customers.

In April, Spitzer’s office was successful in collecting a total of $14,000 from Morrella for customer refunds. Another $4,000 has been collected since then.

Since winning a court-ordered judgment against Slender Magic and its owners, 70 consumers have come forward providing documentation that they are owed pro-rated refunds. Checks to these former customers are being issued by the Attorney General’s Office.

This investigation, however, uncovered the fact that as many as 130 additional consumers may be owed money for the unused portion of their memberships. In order to be eligible to receive a refund, these individuals must file a claim form with the Attorney General’s Office. To obtain a claim form consumers may call the Attorney General’s help line at (800) 771-7755.

This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Doris Morin under the supervision of Assistant Attorney General In Charge Gary Brown of the Westchester Regional Office.