A Canadian consulting company alleges an Illinois travel company, based in Wood River, failed to pay it nearly $150,000 owed for its services.
Fins and Skins Worldwide filed a lawsuit Oct. 5 in Madison County Circuit Court against YTB Travel Network of Illinois.
In its complaint, Fins and Skins alleges it agreed to perform consultation services, including research and marketing for various packages such as golf, fishing, luxury vacation, video content and outdoors print publications. In turn, YTB agreed to pay Fins and Skins a minimum of $180,000, plus expenses, according to the complaint.
Although Fins and Skins performed the work as agreed upon, YTB only paid it $34,771.72 from May 1, 2008, through May 2009, the suit states.
In April 2009, YTB informed Fins and Skins that it was canceling the contract due to YTB "having our issues just like everyone else," the complaint says. However, at the time of the cancellation, YTB still owed $33,084.78 for consultancy fees and expenses and $110,000 for the remaining terms of the contract from June 2009 through April 2011, Fins and Skins claims.
In addition to the money it says YTB owes it, Fins and Skins seeks interest, attorney's fees, costs and other relief the court deems just.
William W. Asa of Taliana, Buckley and Asa in Edwardsville will be representing it.
YTB has been the subject of several lawsuits and investigations in California and Illinois alleging the company to be a pyramid scheme and usage of deceptive marketing.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Better Business sued the company the same day California's attorney general settled with YTB for $1 million in 2009. The company reached a settlement with Madigan in 2011, paying $150,000 in restitution. No admission nor denial of guilt was made in the settlement.
Madison County Circuit Court case number: 12-L-1611.