A Florida-based company and its owners must pay $40,000 in restitution after allegedly posing as a Pennsylvania government agency to trick new business owners into buying unnecessary documents.
Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the settlement today, ending a legal battle against PA Corporate Certificates, LLC, and its leadership—Brian Capobiano, Dean Marshlack, and David Marshlack.
The scheme targeted nearly 2,000 entrepreneurs who had recently registered their businesses in Pennsylvania. According to investigators, the Florida firm sent out official-looking letters that mimicked the Pennsylvania Department of State.
These letters urged owners to purchase a “Subsistence Certificate” for $102.50. While the Department of State does offer this legitimate document for a $40 fee, it is rarely required for standard business operations.
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Beyond inflating the price, the company allegedly misrepresented why the certificate was needed, and in several cases, business owners who paid the fee never actually received the document.
“Today’s settlement will return thousands of dollars to Pennsylvania business owners who paid for documentation they likely did not need,” Attorney General Sunday stated. “New businesses and entrepreneurs are the backbone of our local economies and communities, and my Office will continue to take seriously any attempts to exploit them.”
The Department of State first flagged the suspicious activity and handed over their findings to the Attorney General’s office. Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt confirmed that his department has already provided a list of the impacted business owners who are owed money.
“When the Department of State became aware of this issue, we immediately forwarded the information to the Office of Attorney General,” Schmidt said.
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As part of the settlement, which was filed as a Consent Petition in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas, PA Corporate Certificates has shut down its Pennsylvania operations. The agreement permanently bans the company and the named individuals from soliciting or selling certificates in the state again.
While the settlement requires the $40,000 payout, the terms specify that the agreement is not an admission of any legal violation by the company or its owners. The deal currently awaits final approval from the court.
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