Federal Trade Commission Settlement of AmeriDebt Case
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The FTC mailed AmeriDebt redress checks to consumers during the weeks of September 8, 2008 and December 29th, 2008. The FTC mailed a final set of redress checks during the week of March 7th, 2011. |
In May 2006, the court entered a final settlement with parties involved in the AmeriDebt case, resolving a lawsuit filed in November 2003 against AmeriDebt, DebtWorks, and Andris Pukke for engaging in deceptive practices regarding credit counseling and debt management plans (DMP).
The settlement required Andris Pukke to give up virtually all of his assets, worth up to $35 million, for a consumer redress program. The court ordered a receiver to collect and sell property owned by Andris Pukke. The receiver has been working diligently to collect and sell various properties and assets, and is the final stages of its work. FTC expects that the March 2011 distribution will be the final distribution.
If you paid fees or contributions to AmeriDebt between January 31, 1998 and October 7, 2004, and you did not receive a redress check:
- Call the FTC’s redress administrator at 888-309-3816. If we have your information in the database, you can ask us to re-issue the check. If we do not have your information in the database, we will send you a claim form.
Consumers who obtained a DMP from another agency affiliated with Debtworks were mailed redress checks through a class action on October 28, 2008. For updates, see www.polacsekclass.com
Frequently Asked Questions (3/15/11)
Contempt Action
Order Holding Andris Pukke and Peter Baker in Contempt of Court (3/30/07) [PDF]
Case Information
| Complaint (11/19/03) | [PDF] | |
| Consent Order with AmeriDebt (03/21/05) | [PDF] | |
| Consent Order with Andris Pukke (05/17/06) | [PDF] | |
| Consent Order with Pamela Pukke (02/09/06) | [PDF] | |
| News Release (01/09/06) | [TEXT] | |
Class Action Settlement (entered 9/18/06) |
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| Final Approval Order | [PDF] | |
| Class Settlement With Andris Pukke | [PDF] | |
| Class Settlement With Pamela Pukke | [PDF] |
Consumer Information
| Before You File for Personal Bankruptcy: Information About Credit Counseling and Debtor Education |
[TEXT] | [PDF] |
| For People on Debt Management Plans: A Must-Do List | [TEXT] | [PDF] |
| Fiscal Fitness: Choosing a Credit Counselor | [TEXT] | [PDF] |
| Knee Deep in Debt | [TEXT] | [PDF] |
Receiver Reports
| June 2005 Report | [PDF] | |
| September 2005 Report | [PDF] | |
| March 2006 Report | [PDF] | |
| June 2006 Report | [PDF] | |
| Motion for Contempt, October 2006 | [PDF] | |
| October 2007 Report | [PDF] |