This woman and her family enjoy ripping off honest people. She signs a contract to sell their property and then keeps all the money.
Minneapolis Star Tribune Whistleblower Report
September 17
Seven customers have filed claims against Jennifer Anne Sexton's auction company, alleging they never received payment for items sold at auction.
Mike Lamprecht needed money to remodel his kitchen, so he gathered up some antiques and postage stamps he'd collected and took them to the Shakopee Auction Center. The property was sold at auction, and Lamprecht should have received 75 percent of the proceeds in 30 days from auctioneer Jennifer Anne Sexton, who goes by the name "Gavel Girl. "Nearly six months later, he's still waiting for his $2,315.25."I am really angry and it almost makes me more angry that she hasn't communicated with me, " says Lamprecht, 57, a school psychologist who lives in Minneapolis. "I feel like have been totally ripped off. "Lamprecht isn't the only one.in the past two years, Lamprecht and six others have filed claims against Shakopee Auction Center in Scott County conciliation court, alleging they never received payment for items sold at auction.
In all five cases that have been heard so far, the court ordered Sexton to pay up.in four of those cases, she hasn't. Despite the court judgments and federal and state tax liens, Sexton is still running auctions. She also has a five-year contract with the Minneapolis Police Department to auction off stolen bicycles and other property.interviewed after she conducted an auction at a Shakopee storage company Tuesday, Sexton declined to discuss any of the court cases, but said the customers will be paid soon after she settles federal and state tax issues. She said she sold her company July 31 to Minnesota Auction Advantage, which has opened at the same address, 214 Holmes St.in Shakopee. Sexton said she's a contractor for the new firm, whose owner she would not name. "Everything I do is contract, now, " she said. "I don't own my business. "When Whistleblower visited Minnesota Auction Advantage, Tom Sexton, her husband, was on the premises. "I come in and help out, " he said. He declined to identify the new owner. A young man walked up, said he was the new owner and said his name was Troy. "They closed it, I opened my own company, " he said. "That is all you need to know." He then ordered Whistleblower off the property.
The Minnesota secretary of state's records show Shakopee Auction Center is still incorporated. Minnesota Auction Advantage was incorporated Aug. 11 by Troy James Sexton. State Health Department records indicate he is 19 years old, and his mother is Jennifer Sexton. Jennifer Sexton said the only customers who have not been paid came from "the last few auctions." But Nancy Boegeman of Prior Lake says Shakopee Auction Center sold items from her deceased mother's estate in August and she's still waiting for $825. She won a court judgment March 4, but court records show she hasn't been paid. "I am really irritated, " Boegeman said. The state Department of Revenue has filed $29,000 in liens on Jennifer Anne Auctioneering at 214 Holmes St., records show, for unpaid sales and withholding taxes.
The U.S.internal Revenue Service filed a lien June 29 for $9,914. Chief Deputy Scott County Attorney Ron Hocevar said he was unaware of the auction center civil cases or any investigation of the auction house. Kerstin Hammarberg, supervisor of the Minneapolis Police Department property and evidence unit, said she recently signed Sexton to a second five-year contract, auctioning stolen bikes and other items. The department has paid Sexton a total of $22,900 for eight to 10 auctions each year for the past four years. Hammarberg said she was unaware of Sexton's legal troubles until contacted by Whistleblower. "We pay her a fee to provide auction service, " Hammerberg said. "All the money and all the proceeds are handled by the police department. She does not handle of any of it. We have a cashier sitting there. They take in the money, we are the receiving party... We are satisfied with the services she provides us and if anything should change we'll take action. "Whistleblower spoke with Jennifer Sexton on Thursday, moments before a Minneapolis police bike auction. The auction had been listed on the website of the new firm, Minnesota Auction Advantage. Sexton said she was sorry for the way Whistleblower was treated Tuesday by her son. "Everyone was upset, " she said. "It has been devastating for my family, " she said when asked about the complaints from former customers. "You feel horrible that you cannot meet the commitments as we promised... It's embarrassing."
If its so embarrassing Ms Sexton, why not auction off some of your own personal property and pay those you owe? Anyone who is in this business will buy items from time to time - I'm sure she's got plenty of things she could auction off to pay her bills.
Worse yet - she's enlisted her family in this scam.
Need More?
Unpaid customers, taxes haunt auctioneer
by Shannon Fiecke
September 21,201
Shakopee Valley News, Shakopee, Minnesota
After Jaine McCormicks husband died, she hired the Shakopee Auction Center in April to sell his tools and extra household belongings.
She paid the auction house $400 to load and transport the items. The following Friday night McCormick watched them sell.
The 63-year-old woman, who lives off disability assistance, had moved into a one-bedroom apartment in Apple Valley and was counting on the funds. She was expecting a $2,820 check. It never came.
They had so much sympathy for someone who lost their husband. It hurt for a long time, said McCormick, who won a Scott County District Court judgment in February, but doesn't anticipate ever being paid. Its a hard time to go through that, for somebody to do that to you in this economy. Its pretty crummy.
McCormick is one of eight consigners who have sued auction center owner Jennifer Sexton for non-payment of sales from April to June. Only one has been paid.
Sexton, 42, says the auction center suffered from the downturn in the economy and she intends to pay the consigners back, although it may take some time.
We will do everything we can to make the situation right, she said.
To the irritation of unpaid consigners, Sexton's son opened his own auction house at the same site after hers closed this summer. For more on the lawsuits, read Thursday's print edition of the Shakopee Valley News.
Clearly Jennifer and her family have no intention of paying these people. She continues to sell and sell and sell - and not pay a single dime she owes people.
"We are our own seperate company and have no relationship with the previous company with the exception of retaining a few employees."
Yeah right - sell it to your kid and then say we have no relationship. Nice try but we're not so easily deceived.
So get the word out - put this woman and her shameless family out of business.
Cheat
Fraud
Theif
Scam
Liar
Dishonest
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