A civil lawsuit has been filed against Pearl Bridal and its owners, Erica and Tyson Miltenberger for allegedly using false advertising and deceptive practices to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in prepayments for wedding dresses.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the Miltenbergers then abruptly shut down the business and disappeared, leaving over $275,000 in orders unfilled.
The complaint alleges Pearl Bridal used deceptive advertising and fake consumer reviews to lure consumers into their Phoenix storefront and encouraged them to try on one or more wedding dresses. Once consumers found a dress, the State alleges Pearl Bridal and the Miltenbergers asked customers for upfront payments, promising that in six to nine months, they would get a custom-made dress that had been designed in-house.
Investigators say Pearl Bridal collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in prepayments. However, the State alleges consumers did not get what they had been promised, and most or all of the dresses that were sent to customers appeared to have been mass-produced in China. The State alleges that as consumers started to complain online about the false advertising and the missed deadlines, Pearl Bridal closed its doors without warning in mid-May.
The complaint alleges that Pearl Bridal collected over $275,000 in unrefunded payments for orders that remain unfulfilled. Among other things, the State’s complaint seeks restitution, civil penalties, and injunctive relief to stop the Miltenbergers from harming Arizona consumers in the future.