Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. According to a police complaint, a beleaguered Mount Pleasant dancing studio is facing yet another charge that it failed to complete a refund to a client worth more than $600.
The Dance Arts Studio, which was accused of fraud in mid-August, allegedly accepted a $701.25 check on July 25 from a woman who had paid the proprietor for a full semester of instruction and a Christmas dance recital. According to a Mount Pleasant Police Department report, the individual got an email on August 8 informing her that the studio would be shutting and that she would be receiving a refund.
By September 8, she had emailed about a refund and had not heard back. On September 25, the guy followed up on the email, but he did not hear back. The following day, the individual received an email indicating that the studio owner had hired an attorney and that all further inquiries should be directed to them.
The woman who paid for the dance lessons reported fraud to her bank but has yet to receive a reimbursement from the studio, according to the police report.
On August 13, News 4 reported that the dance studio was facing fraud charges from local customers. The studio announced at the time that it was closing. The owner stated that this is due to refurbishment costs, not the charges.
Kristen Moldenhauer, a parent at the studio for the past two years, said the concerns were originally brought to her attention by another parent whose children had previously attended. Moldenhauer claimed to have detected many illegal charges from The Dance Arts Studio in recent months totaling more than $2,700.
Moldenhauer claimed she has received communications from over 60 families claiming to have the same tale about false charges. One story dates back to 2017, she claimed.
Another parent, Kendra Song, claimed she uncovered nearly $5,000 in fraudulent transactions from the studio on her bank statements in December.
At the time of the initial claim, The Dance Arts Studio’s owner assured News 4 that they were on schedule to issue all reimbursements.
