On December 24, 2018, a class action was filed and registered at the Eastern District District Court in Manhattan, NY, by Marcel Denis, a lawyer of Haitian origin, of the Denis Law Group, PLLC. Representing Haitian plaintiffs Odilon S. Celestin, Widmir Romelien, Alexander Goldie Lamothe, Vincent Marazita, against the accused Michel Joseph Martelly, Jocelerme Privert, Jovenel Moïse, Western Union, Caribbean Air Mail inc., Unitransfert USA inc., Digicel-Haiti, Natcom SA and the Government of Haiti, for violation of US federal laws as well as those of the States of New York, Florida and California. The plaintiffs dispute the levies on phone minutes and money transfers, to finance in Haiti the National Fund for Education (FNE).

Recall that the FNE was created under the Presidency Martelly in May 2011 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3034-haiti-education-launch-of-the-national-fund-for-education-fne-by-martelly-update-1h03pm.html currently financed by the diaspora by a phone fee of US $ 0.05 on each incoming minute and a charge of US $ 1.50, on incoming and outgoing funds transfers, which are collected by the Central Bank (BRH) has been ratified by both Chambers of Parliaments in August 2012 by the Chamber of Deputies https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6379-haiti-education-the-fne-becomes-progressively-legal.html and in July 2017 by the Senate https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21412-haiti-politics-after-5-years-of-blocking-the-senate-votes-the-law-on-the-fne.html

This 54-page class action contains 12 counts :

• Violation of general business law, according to the laws of New York in force (deceptive acts and practices);

• Violation of New York State Business Law (False Advertising);

• Violation of Florida law on unfair and deceptive marketing practices;

• Civil theft under Florida law;

• Violation of California State legislation on the operation of businesses and professions;

• Unfair competition under the California State Code of Professional and Business Law;

• Violation of the California State Law on Consumer Litigation;

• False statements intentionally made in violation of New York law;

• False statements intentionally made under the laws of Florida;

• Conspiracy to defraud Haitian consumers through remittances from the diaspora;

• Unjustified enrichment;

• Misrepresentation of the use to be made of additional fees collected from transfer houses and phone companies.

Download the complaint for all the details (PDF) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/case-1-18-cv-0734.pdf

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26238-haiti-education-7-years-after-its-launch-the-national-education-fund-has-a-dg.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25587-haiti-diaspora-7-years-later-the-brh-finally-reveals-the-details-of-taxes-collected-on-transfers.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21412-haiti-politics-after-5-years-of-blocking-the-senate-votes-the-law-on-the-fne.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-14374-icihaiti-education-fne-$112-million-in-tariff-surplus.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13049-haiti-education-a-lot-of-money-in-the-fne.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-6379-haiti-education-the-fne-becomes-progressively-legal.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3034-haiti-education-launch-of-the-national-fund-for-education-fne-by-martelly-update-1h03pm.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-3027-haiti-education-the-tax-on-money-transfers-comes-into-force-on-june-1-2011.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-2993-haiti-education-it-s-not-a-tax-but-a-surcharge-on-the-tariff.html

HL/ HaitiLibre