Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has secured a consent judgment against Hummingbird Construction Co. LLC and its owner, Matthew Ashline, for violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by accepting deposits for construction projects that were never started and then failing to return the funds. The attorney general filed a lawsuit against Ashline and the construction company last year after they collected deposits from customers in St. Clair, Monroe, Eaton and Washtenaw Counties to begin construction projects but failed to initiate the contracted work. In multiple cases, despite repeated requests from the consumers for refunds, Ashline delayed repayment or failed to return deposits before the complaint was filed.
The complaint anticipated that there were other impacted consumers not known by the Attorney General at that time. More consumers did file complaints with the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Team after the lawsuit was announced.
The judgment requires the dissolution of Hummingbird Construction and prohibits Ashline from selling construction jobs or owning or managing a construction company in Michigan for 10 years. Before entering into the judgment, Ashline refunded seven impacted customers more than $150,000. He is also required to make monthly payments of $10,000 to a customer over the next 9 months.
“I am proud of my Consumer Protection Team for their work and dedication to securing this judgment that ensures impacted customers receive the refunds they are owed and prevents this company from continuing to operate in our state,” said Attorney General Nessel. “My office will continue to protect residents from unscrupulous business practices and pursue bad-acting companies that take advantage of Michigan consumers.”
Michigan consumers who suspect consumer protection violations by other companies are encouraged to contact the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx
The complaint anticipated that there were other impacted consumers not known by the Attorney General at that time. More consumers did file complaints with the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Team after the lawsuit was announced.
The judgment requires the dissolution of Hummingbird Construction and prohibits Ashline from selling construction jobs or owning or managing a construction company in Michigan for 10 years. Before entering into the judgment, Ashline refunded seven impacted customers more than $150,000. He is also required to make monthly payments of $10,000 to a customer over the next 9 months.
“I am proud of my Consumer Protection Team for their work and dedication to securing this judgment that ensures impacted customers receive the refunds they are owed and prevents this company from continuing to operate in our state,” said Attorney General Nessel. “My office will continue to protect residents from unscrupulous business practices and pursue bad-acting companies that take advantage of Michigan consumers.”
Michigan consumers who suspect consumer protection violations by other companies are encouraged to contact the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team at:
Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form at https://secure.ag.state.mi.us/complaints/consumer.aspx
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