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Federal judge finds operator of King David Van Lines guilty of deceiving consumers, issues damage award of $13 million to NorthStar Moving
Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NorthStar Moving ® Company, the leading eco-luxury mover in California, today announced that it has won its trademark infringement lawsuit against King David Van Lines and its operators. A federal judge awarded NorthStar Moving $13 million against Ohad Guzi personally after finding that Mr. Guzi willfully infringed NorthStar Moving’s trademark by deceiving consumers into believing they were hiring NorthStar Moving.
Florida-based King David Van Lines, led by Mr. Guzi, conducted business under the name Northstar Movers and the domain name northstarmovers.com. In a bench trial, the U.S. District Court Southern District, Florida Fort Lauderdale Division, found that he did so to mislead customers and convince them they were hiring NorthStar Moving Company. The judge ruled Mr. Guzi was liable for trademark infringement, unfair competition and violated the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protect Act. The judge added on $100,000, the maximum allowed, for the cybersquatting violation. In addition, Mr. Guzi was ordered to pay NorthStar Moving’s attorney fees.
“NorthStar Moving is pleased that it will no longer have to worry about its customers being deceived, scammed and financially harmed by Mr. Guzi,” said NorthStar Moving attorney Deborah A. Gubernick of Snell & Wilmer LLP. “Justice was served and hopefully the message to Mr. Guzi and other infringers is clear. You can’t engage in blatant and willful infringement and think the court won’t notice; an individual responsible for infringement can’t use a corporate entity as its scapegoat to avoid liability.”
NorthStar Moving’s Florida trial counsel Joseph W. Bain of Shutts & Bowen LLP added, “This case is significant because the individual found to be the ‘conscious moving force’ behind the infringing activity of a company is liable for the company’s infringing profits.”
“Wrongdoers sometimes disguise themselves as real and reputable companies to lure in the public. They use a company’s good name and valuable reputation to attract customers but then subject their victims to horrific service and countless nightmares,” said NorthStar Moving Co-Founder Laura McHolm. “We discovered the infringement when Mr. Guzi’s victims contacted us with complaints, believing we were the moving company they hired. The horrible tales these victims told us, made us heartsick. We couldn’t stand by while innocent people were being ripped off. We knew we needed to take action and to invest the time and the money to hold this infringer responsible and send a message to others. Make no mistake, our name has, and always will, stand for stellar service, community involvement and kindness.”
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NorthStar Moving was represented by Deborah A. Gubernick of Snell & Wilmer LLP, as well as Joseph W. Bain and Jodi-Ann Tillman of Shutts & Bowen LLP.