Ohio AG suing Greene County florist who brides say scammed them on their wedding days

The Ohio Attorney General is suing a Greene County florist who dozens of brides say no-showed or canceled on their wedding days.

A news release from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office says the civil lawsuit his office filed in Greene County Common Pleas Court says Desiree Pace violated the Consumer Sales Practices Act. It says, as she was doing business as Flowers by Des, she took money but did not deliver on her services.

“Weddings are meant to be a celebration of love, not a chance for a heartless grifter to leave couples empty-handed and upset,” Yost said in a news release. “This action won’t take the sting away from that day, but I vow to help these couples get some payback.”

Yost is seeking restitution for at least 48 Ohioans. The news release said they were scammed out of more than $50,000.

>> I-TEAM: Greene Co. Sheriff investigating florist who brides say ripped them off

The lawsuit comes three months after Yost’s office started getting consumer complaints about the Xenia florist.

“An investigation found consumers either paid in full for services or put down a 50% deposit for Pace to provide flowers for their events. Pace either canceled the contracts within days of the events or, without notice, failed to appear at the events when she was contractually required to do so,” the news release said.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: I-Team: Brides say Greene Co. florist wrote them bad refund checks after canceling on their wedding

It also said, in nearly all cases, Pace did not give her customers refunds.

“It happens once or twice, somebody made a mistake, forgot something, [or] go sick,” Yost said to News Center 7′s Sean Cudahy. “48 times? Come on. This isn’t anything except old fashioned grifting.”

News Center 7 has made repeated attempts to reach out to Pace. In July she texted News Center 7′s Molly Koweek “Don’t text or call again.”

>> RELATED: Greene County florist charged in unrelated case of bad checks faces a judge

News Center 7 spoke with a bride who said Flowers by Des no-showed at her wedding last week.

“I think deep down I knew she wasn’t going to show up, but I had just had hope,” Ashley Fieder said.

Fieder, who is not one of the nearly 50 Ohioans impacted in the lawsuit, said she paid Flowers by Des $1,300 in advance, but said the florist never showed after reassuring her she would be there.

Days before her wedding, Fieder texted Pace, saying in part, “I haven’t received a refund or any communication from you whatsoever, I would like to go about this civilly.”

Fieder said Pace called the text a threat and said she would be sending it to her legal team.

While she is happy to see the AG’s lawsuit against Pace, Fieder feels the florist also owes many people an apology.

©2021 Cox Media Group