Florida Moving Company Owner Must Pay $13 Million for Using Reputable Competitor’s Name

A federal judge has ordered a South Florida moving company to pay more than $13 million for deceiving customers and using the name and trademark of an international competitor.

Ohad Guzi and his King David Van Lines were found to be using the name NorthStar Movers, according to news reports and federal court records. The judge said that Guzi had violated trademark law by using the name and website to trick customers into thinking they were dealing with the more reputable and nationally known NorthStar Moving Co., based in California.

“Defendant Guzi shall work cooperatively with plaintiff, to the best of his ability, to correct the residual use of plaintiff’s marks in the third-party websites,” the judge wrote in his order.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported that other disreputable moving companies have used similar tactics, but that Guzi had become notorious for it. The companies have been known to take deposits on moving jobs, then subcontract the move to someone else who often charges more when the goods are loaded.

The California-based NorthStar Moving Co. found out about the practice when many customers complained about the practice and about missing items and broken belongings.

Topics Florida