Washington,
D.C., July 20, 2005 - The Cullen Law
Firm, PLLC announces that a consumer class action
lawsuit was filed on July 20, 2005 in the Circuit
Court of Cook County, Illinois against Hyatt International
Corporation, on behalf of all guests of Hyatt's
hotel in Moscow since July 2002. The complaint, filed
under the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
Practices Act, alleges that Hyatt made deceptive
and misleading representations through its worldwide,
internet based reservation system on the rates that
would be charged at the Ararat Park Hyatt in Moscow
, Russia . According to the complaint, Hyatt quotes
rates in U.S. dollars knowing that the final hotel
bill will be paid in Russian rubles in amounts that
are higher than those calculated at the official
exchange rate. Hotel guests generally find out about
the problem when they get their credit card statement
in dollars. According to the complaint, consumers
generally pay upwards of 16 percent more than the
amount quoted by Hyatt when their reservations were
made. Paul D. Cullen, Sr. , counsel for the plaintiffs
estimates that there have been several thousand hotel
guests victimized by the deceptive practices alleged
in the complaint during the period covered by the
three year statute of limitations.
Separate cases have been filed by The Cullen Law
Firm against Marriott International, Inc. and against
Radisson Hotels International, Inc., dealing with
the same problem addressed in the Hyatt litigation.
"The practice of inflating hotel charges quoted in
dollars, but paid in rubles, seems to be widespread,"
said Mr. Cullen. "The issue presented
by these cases is not whether the practice is lawful
under the Russian legal system",
observed Mr. Cullen. "The real issue
is whether a U.S. based hotel chain can be held accountable
under domestic law if it makes false or misleading
statements to potential hotel guests that conceal
this practice when it books reservations for its
overseas hotel properties", according
to Mr. Cullen.
Hyatt International Corporation is incorporated
in Delaware and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
The complaint seeks damages under the Illinois Consumer
Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, as well
as injunctive relief restraining Hyatt from continuing
the alleged conduct.
Individuals who have stayed at the Hyatt hotel in
Moscow are encouraged to contact The Cullen Law Firm
at info@cullenlaw.com.
To read a copy of the complaint, click
here. For additional information, contact:
Paul D. Cullen, Sr.
The Cullen Law Firm, PLLC
1101 30 th Street, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington , D.C. 20007
(202) 944-8600 Ext 777
(202) 944-8611 [fax]
info@cullenlaw.com |
