Alex and Ani’s Fraud Suit Proceeding to Make Waves
Anyone know of the chic and fashionable brand Alex and Ani? They are most commonly recognized by there rustic bangle and charm pieces that range anywhere from $24 to $188. Alex and Ani also offers custom designed charms on their website. Usually you can find these bracelets sold in higher end stores, which is what the lawsuit is about. Alex and Ani got the ok from Rhode Island judge on friday that the company can proceed with its lawsuit against BJ Wholesaler. A group of distributers also conspired against the brand by selling the bracelets without Alex and Ani’s permission.
On Friday a 25-page paper was handed down by BJ Wholesalers defendants calling the case, “bewildering ballad of bungled bangle banditry”. Chief Judge William E. Smith of U.S. District Court in Rhode Island threw out the paper, and decided to allow Alex and Ani to proceed with their counts against the wholesale company.
The jewelry company filed in September 2013 after allegedly selling more than 26,000 jewelry pieces accumulating to a total of $1 million to a Travis Brody who owns Elite Level Consulting LLC (ELC). Alex and Ani sold the pieces for about $250,000, with an agreement the jewelry would be used for attendees of the Wellington Classic Fall Challenge, a horse dressage competition. Also the items would be a part of the Austin Film Festival.
Brody allegedly conspired with other defendants to sell the pieces and many of those items ended up on the shelves of BJ’s Wholesale Club in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. These accusations are all according to the lawsuit.
Before the sale to Travis Brody Alex and Ani rejected BJ’s proposal to sell the jewelry in the store, which added suspicion to the current case. BJ Wholesalers has yet to make a comment on the proceeding of the case.
Alex and Ani wants to maintain its chic high end fashion exterior, charging BJ’s and other conspirators for mishandling sales of the jewelry resulted in 14-counts, which some were thrown out by Rhode Island court system. We will be sure to update you on the case! Other defendants taking part in this case are . Jonathan Weiss, Luxury Business Jets LLC, Roxy Inc., Genesis Sales Corp. and JJ & M Corp.
Here are some of the items you can find on Alex and Ani’s site:
All Alex and Ani bracelets can fit any wrist size. Instead of clasps, the company has a sliding mechanism that makes the bracelets adjustable. This style also goes for the necklaces and earrings you can find on their site.