Attorney General Treg Taylor on Friday announced a lawsuit against Alaska Motor Home and its owners Peter and Cole Harkovitch, alleging they engaged in deceptive practices such as charging $2,500 damage deposits before consumers had picked up their RV, charging consumers taxes they did not owe, and forging a consumer’s signature on receipts to win a credit card chargeback dispute. The two are accused of taking deposits and then canceling the entire season as of Friday.
The Alaska Department of Law says that the Harkovitchs said they do not have the money to refund the deposits.
“This is a terrible situation” Taylor said. “Alaskan trips people have dreamed about for years are getting thrown into chaos. People depend on businesses to behave responsibly and there are really no words for how completely the Defendants have let down their customers and the whole state of Alaska.”
In addition, the complaint alleges that the defendants repeatedly violated the injunction entered by the Anchorage Superior Court as part of a consent judgment that resolved an unfair trade practices lawsuit the Attorney General had brought against them in 2019.
In addition to a complaint seeking damages, penalties, and consumer restitution, the Attorney General is asking the Anchorage Superior Court to enter a temporary restraining order barring the Defendants from dissipating their assets and requiring them to immediately notify consumers if their reservations will not be fulfilled.
The Department of Law said it believes that the Defendants’ decision to cease operating is driven in part by the incarceration of Peter Harkovitch in Florida as he awaits trial on a charge of aggravated battery involving domestic violence, threatening a law enforcement officer, and other charges.
Consumers who have reservations with Alaska Motor Home are encouraged to file consumer complaints with the Attorney General’s Office. But the Attorney General’s Office cannot make any guarantees that consumer restitution will be possible in this matter. Consumers who paid in advance by credit card may wish to review their credit card rules and agreements to determine whether they may be eligible for a chargeback.
Consumer complaint forms are available at: https://www.law.alaska.gov/pdf/consumer/FORM_complaint.pdf
Read the State of Alaska’s Complaint: https://law.alaska.gov/pdf/press/240613-Complaint.pdf
Business as usual for the tourism industry.
Jeezus, Peter. You were a good Catholic boy up in Fairbanks. What the —-? Then I googled you and your booking photo from Florida popped up. Beat up face and all. Who taught you to fight?
So you’re admitting we need Big Government?
No. We need limited government to help deal with —– like this.
No, we need a government that will enforce the laws, and prosecute those that violate them.