PHOENIX -- Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed a civil lawsuit against Pearl Bridal and its owners, Erica and Tyson Miltenberger. The complaint alleges that Pearl Bridal and the Miltenbergers used false advertising and deceptive practices to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in prepayments for wedding dresses, and then abruptly shut down the business and disappeared, leaving over $275,000 in orders unfilled.
"Your wedding day should be one of the best days of your life, but instead this company left hundreds of brides scrambling during a very stressful time," said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. "Businesses cannot be allowed to mislead consumers, take their money, and then simply disappear failing to keep their promises."
The complaint alleges Pearl Bridal used deceptive advertising and fake consumer reviews to lure consumers into their Phoenix storefront and encouraged them to try on one or more wedding dresses. Once consumers found a dress, the State alleges Pearl Bridal and the Miltenbergers asked customers for upfront payments, promising that in six to nine months, they would get a custom-made dress that had been designed in-house.
Investigators say Pearl Bridal collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in prepayments. However, the State alleges consumers did not get what they had been promised, and most or all of the dresses that were sent to customers appeared to have been mass-produced in China. The State alleges that as consumers started to complain online about the false advertising and the missed deadlines, Pearl Bridal closed its doors without warning in mid-May.
The complaint alleges that Pearl Bridal collected over $275,000 in unrefunded payments for orders that remain unfulfilled. Among other things, the State’s complaint seeks restitution, civil penalties, and injunctive relief to stop the Miltenbergers from harming Arizona consumers in the future.
Copy of the complaint.
Assistant Attorney General Mitchell Allee is handling this case.
If you believe you have been a victim of consumer fraud, please contact the Arizona Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6648, or outside the metro areas at 1(800) 352-8431. Bilingual consumer protection staff is available to assist. Consumers can also file complaints online.