What happens in Vegas, leads to a lawsuit

[faldor]

http://boston.barstoolsports.com/random-thoughts/andover-man-suing-vegas-after-blacking-out-and-spending-30-grand-at-strip-club/

Las Vegas Sun - A conventioneer from Massachusetts is challenging a $29,512 bill for a night of entertainment and drinks at a topless dancing club in Las Vegas. James Hackett of Andover, Mass., filed a lawsuit Friday in Las Vegas against the owner of the Club Paradise Gentlemen?s Club and American Express Co., disputing the amount that was billed to his American Express card last Oct. 12.  fter checking in to the Las Vegas Hilton, he went to a Hilton hotel bar to watch a Boston Red Sox baseball game on television and had some vodka martinis, his lawsuit says. While watching the game, someone handed him his wallet and said Hackett had dropped it, Hackett?s suit says. Nothing was missing from the wallet, but Hackett noticed his driver?s license and American Express card had been switched from their usual positions. Hackett said in his lawsuit he talked to some Red Sox fans from Phoenix, left for the hotel lobby and apparently blacked out there and can?t remember anything else that may have happened that night. He called his wife the next morning and told her about the dropped wallet incident and had her check with his credit card companies to ensure there were no unauthorized charges, the lawsuit says. No problems with his credit cards were immediately detected. But after returning to Massachusetts, Hackett said he learned of a series of charges to his American Express card by Club Paradise between 2:55 a.m. and 8:54 a.m. on Oct. 12. These totaled $29,512 ? about $4,000 for a bar tab and more than $25,000 for ?unexplained services? involving entertainers ?Paulina,? ?Jani Lee,? ?Isabel,? ?Vanessa,? ?Roxanne? and ?Lexi.?Hackett said in his lawsuit he has no recollection of visiting Club Paradise and that he filed police reports in Massachusetts and Las Vegas about the incident. The lawsuit questions not only whether the charges were valid, but the amount charged.?Such charges are astounding and cannot be supported as reasonable, including charges for entertainment totaling over $25,000 and charges for alcohol of $4,000, the value and quantity of which would have rendered any person so intoxicated as to have no capacity to knowingly consent to any services or charges supplied by defendant Club Paradise,? the suit alleges.

I?m trying to wrap to my brain around this story. The only possible thing that I can come up with is that this dude knew his wife would see the American Express bill. Why else would you sue and draw attention to it? Because I don?t care whether his complaints are legit or not, it wouldn?t be worth fighting it as long as it was a secret. I mean sucking up a 25K loss is a no brainer compared to trying to prove to your wife that it?s impossible to spend that much on ?unexplained services? at Club Paradise. But once the he knew she?d see the credit card bill he sprung into action and did what any guy would do in this situation. He played the old I blacked out, got roofied , got kidnapped, got framed, got my wallet stolen and given back to me routine and was hoping one of the excuses would stick.   Kind of got to admire the effort.

[nekomex]

maybe he is telling the truth, and thats why he is suing, why would you pay $29,512 if you didnt spend them? if he was going to use the card he would have known that his wife was going to know about it, and he would have planed another thing to say. because if he used the card then it will be pretty easy to proved that it was him expending the money after suing someone, a security camera or an empoyee would contradict his tale.

[Genesis]

If it's a case of card fraud, why is he suing Amex and the Club? Wouldn't it be a police case?

Such charges are astounding and cannot be supported as reasonable, including charges for entertainment totaling over $25,000 and charges for alcohol of $4,000, the value and quantity of which would have rendered any person so intoxicated as to have no capacity to knowingly consent to any services or charges supplied by defendant Club Paradise

What I understand from this is that he was so drunk he didn't realise how much the bill would come to.
Either way, the wallet story seems to be a sham.

[faldor]

Just for the record, those comments after the article are from the website www.barstoolsports.com, not from ME.  I know it kind of appears that they're my words, but they're not.

[pilferk]

If it's a case of card fraud, why is he suing Amex and the Club? Wouldn't it be a police case?

I'm assuming (and you know what they say about that...) that he TRIED to file a charge dispute with his CC company and they denied it.

Thus, he sues both Amex (who denied the dispute) and the Club (who he thinks is bilking hiim out of the money).  It would be the CLUB'S responsibility to go after the perpetrator for their losses.  The guys only civil concern would be not having to pay the $$.

Now, CRIMINALLY, he could have the Vegas police open an investigation into CC fraud, and try to find and go after the perp.  But it's a long shot, even if it DID occur, that you'd ever catch them....

The one thing the guy would be smart to try to get (if he's telling the truth...if not, he better hope Amex or the Club doesn't)  is the hotel security footage.  If he was actually sitting at the bar, there'd be footage of the person handing him his wallet back.  There'd also be footage from the lobby of him "passing out", if it really happened.

[AdZ]

left for the hotel lobby and apparently blacked out there and can?t remember anything else that may have happened that night.

Worst. Excuse. Ever.

[Genesis]

If it's a case of card fraud, why is he suing Amex and the Club? Wouldn't it be a police case?

I'm assuming (and you know what they say about that...) that he TRIED to file a charge dispute with his CC company and they denied it.

Thus, he sues both Amex (who denied the dispute) and the Club (who he thinks is bilking hiim out of the money).  It would be the CLUB'S responsibility to go after the perpetrator for their losses.  The guys only civil concern would be not having to pay the $$.

Now, CRIMINALLY, he could have the Vegas police open an investigation into CC fraud, and try to find and go after the perp.  But it's a long shot, even if it DID occur, that you'd ever catch them....

The one thing the guy would be smart to try to get (if he's telling the truth...if not, he better hope Amex or the Club doesn't)  is the hotel security footage.  If he was actually sitting at the bar, there'd be footage of the person handing him his wallet back.  There'd also be footage from the lobby of him "passing out", if it really happened.

At least where I come from if you report a fraudulent transaction on your CC as soon as possible and file a report with the police, you are not
liable to pay for the transaction, which is what it sounds like this guy did. The Club wouldn't be liable as well because they couldn't have known
the card was stolen and someone did use their services.

But like I said, the whole thing sounds bogus.

[pilferk]

At least where I come from if you report a fraudulent transaction on your CC as soon as possible and file a report with the police, you are not
liable to pay for the transaction, which is what it sounds like this guy did. The Club wouldn't be liable as well because they couldn't have known
the card was stolen and someone did use their services.

But like I said, the whole thing sounds bogus.

USUALLY the case.  But the CC company does have the right to deny your "claim" and make you responsible for the $$.  It's in the POS.  When you dispute a charge, it gets rerouted to a deparment to investigate.  They CAN (but don't usually) deny your dispute.  In that case, you have a right to file your claim, against the CC company, in civil court. 

I agree...naming the club is a bit odd IF THE GUY really thinks this is a case of CC fraud.  If he suspects he was there when he blacked out, and they did something "untoward" to bilk him out of money,then it's legit.  But in that case, his beef wouldn't be with the CC company.

By naming both....it DOES look a little odd. 

And I agree...it sounds an awful lot like this is a case of "morning after" syndrome. 

[nekomex]

Just for the record, those comments after the article are from the website www.barstoolsports.com, not from ME.  I know it kind of appears that they're my words, but they're not.

  i thought you were making the comment.

[D]

Shit happens when u party naked

[Albert S Miller]

Such a deal , thats it, thats all I've got to say!!!

[Sin Cut]

left for the hotel lobby and apparently blacked out there and can?t remember anything else that may have happened that night.

Worst. Excuse. Ever.

Damn, the dealer mixed his E to date rape pills again 

[D]

honestly though, it is possible.

[axlrosegnr]

My guess is that he got drunk and went to the strip club and blew all that money. It seems like a lot, but trust me, it'd be very easy to blow that much in a Strip Joint here.

Now he is just trying to find an escape route.

However, I could be totally wrong, and he could be telling the truth. Each senario is very much possible.

[pilferk]

My guess is that he got drunk and went to the strip club and blew all that money. It seems like a lot, but trust me, it'd be very easy to blow that much in a Strip Joint here.

Now he is just trying to find an escape route.

However, I could be totally wrong, and he could be telling the truth. Each senario is very much possible.

I'd bet (pun intended) the "escape route" scenario is correct.  I'd give a  75% chance that's right, and a 25% chance he's telling the "truth"......

[Loaded NightraiN]

In this day in age and especially in Vegas, couldn't this be debunked by security footage(as previously mentioned), almost immediately?

I mean if the guy goes in to a strip club @ 11pm and leaves at 4am, ok he's guilty of leaving!

[axlrosegnr]

In this day in age and especially in Vegas, couldn't this be debunked by security footage(as previously mentioned), almost immediately?

I mean if the guy goes in to a strip club @ 11pm and leaves at 4am, ok he's guilty of leaving!

You're right, If he was at a Casino or a Strip Joint, he's on video, that's for sure. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.