Washington,
D.C., June 6, 2005 - The Cullen Law
Firm, PLLC announces that a consumer class action
lawsuit was filed on June 3, 2005 in the Fourth Judicial
District Court of Minnesota against Radisson Hotels
International, Inc., on behalf of all guests of Radisson's
hotel in Moscow since June 3, 1999. The complaint,
filed under the Minnesota Deceptive Trade Practices
Act , Consumer Fraud Act and False Advertising Act,
alleges that Radisson made deceptive and misleading
representations through its worldwide, internet based
reservation system on the rates that would be charged
at its hotel property in Moscow, Russia. According
to the complaint, Radisson quotes rates in U.S. dollars
knowing that the final hotel bill will be paid in
Russian rubles in amounts that are higher than those
calculated at the official exchange rate. Hotel
guests find out about the problem when they get their
credit card statement in dollars. According
to the complaint, consumers generally end up paying
18 percent more than the amount quoted by Radisson
when their reservations were made. Paul D.
Cullen, Sr., counsel for the plaintiffs, estimates
that there have been several hundred thousand hotel
guests victimized by the deceptive practices alleged
in the complaint during the period covered by the
six year statute of limitations.
A separate case was filed by The Cullen Law Firm
on May 13, 2005, against Marriott International,
Inc. that deals with the same problem addressed in
the Radisson litigation. "The practice
of inflating hotel charges quoted in dollars, but
paid in rubles, seems to be widespread," said
Mr. Cullen. "The issue presented by
these cases is not whether the practice is lawful
under the Russian legal system",
observed Mr. Cullen. "The real
issue is whether a U.S. based hotel chain can be
held accountable under domestic law if it makes false
or misleading statements to potential hotel guests
that conceal this practice when it books reservations
for its overseas hotel properties",
according to Mr. Cullen.
Radisson Hotels International, Inc. is incorporated in Delaware and is
headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The complaint seeks damages under
the Minnesota Consumer Fraud Act and the Minnesota False Advertising Act, plus
injunctive relief under the Minnesota Deceptive Trade Practices Act restraining
Radisson from continuing the alleged conduct.
Individuals who have stayed at any of Radisson's
affiliated hotels in Russia are encouraged to contact
The Cullen Law Firm at info@cullenlaw.com . To
view a copy of the complaint, click
here.
For additional information, contact:
Paul D. Cullen, Sr.
The Cullen Law Firm, PLLC
1101 30th Street, N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20007
(202) 944-8600 Ext 777
(202) 944-8611 [fax]
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