Chicago–(ENEWSPF)–February 15, 2013. Attorney General Lisa Madigan yesterday filed a lawsuit against a marketing firm for conning southern Illinois small businesses into paying for official advertising in marketing and promotional materials for the Southern Illinois University men’s basketball team.
Madigan filed the lawsuit in Jackson County Circuit Court against The Eagle Marketing Group LLC, based in Edgewood, Ky., for unfairly inducing businesses to pay for advertising in promotional materials for the Salukis, though the firm is not authorized by the university to use its logos, names, trademarks or in any other way promote the team.
The lawsuit alleges businesses paid more than $300 for a sponsorship fee to be featured in a 2012 team schedule, which was never authorized by the university. Madigan alleges that Eagle Marketing also promised to air television advertisements featuring the businesses, but the ads never aired.
“This sham operation targeted honest business owners,” Madigan said. “My office is pursuing this litigation in an attempt to recover any available funds and will seek to bar this company from operating in Illinois.”
Madigan’s suit also seeks to impose civil penalties on the defendant.
Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Feltman is handling the case for Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Bureau.
Source: illinoisattorneygeneral.gov
