Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Respected RV industry leader Gigi Stetler is strongly supporting two new lawsuits against national TV star Marcus Lemonis, the host of CNBC’s “The Profit.”
The two complaints were filed by Marcus Lemonis’ former business partners, Nicolas Goureau and Stephanie Menkin, who were introduced to Lemonis when they appeared on “The Profit.”
Goureau and Menkin (who are siblings) allege that Lemonis fraudulently induced them to invest in their retail business, Courage B, in exchange for a capital investment and his expertise in growing their company. However, instead of trying to help, Lemonis focused on making the company indebted to him (in upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars) so that he could control the company and its assets with the purpose of destroying it.
The complaints seek millions of dollars in damages from Lemonis and his entities. A copy of the complaints can be found here: Complaint 1; Complaint 2
“Sadly, I’m not surprised,” said Stetler. “Lemonis has been accused of doing this so many times. It is all outlined in this incredible Inc. exposé by Will Yakowicz. Every week I get dozens of complaints about Camping World’s deceptive consumer trade practices through The RV Advisor. When will CNBC pay attention? How many more small businesses have to be destroyed before he’s removed from ‘The Profit’?!”
The reporter, Will Yakowicz, spoke to nearly two dozen business owners who were allegedly on the receiving end of malicious, unethical treatment by Lemonis, who Stetler refers to as “the False Profit.” As one company, who also sued Lemonis, told Inc., "We asked him to help us with our business, not help himself to our business."
And Gigi Stetler knows all too well about the TV star’s predatory behavior.
A decade ago, Stetler politely refused Lemonis’ offer to acquire her RV business. In response, Lemonis and several others, including equestrian businessman Mark Bellissimo, initiated a series of actions intended to financially damage Stetler and severely ruin her reputation.
Within three days, the chain of events initiated by Lemonis took Stetler’s company from a profitable business to one saddled with $11.5 million in debt. Stetler rebuilt her business and now wants to help others.
“I really applaud Nicolas Goureau and Stephanie Menkin for having the courage to speak the truth. We must work together to stop Lemonis from doing any more damage to small businesses, the lifeblood of this country,” said Stetler.
Arizona residents Sheline and Kevin McNair agree. In 2019, they say they purchased a supposedly new RV from Camping World - the RV powerhouse owned by Marcus Lemonis - but later found out it was previously owned and had many defects. They allege that none of this was ever disclosed, and the couple says are still trying to get their money back.
“You can’t take advantage of people over and over again and have no repercussions. It’s time Lemonis is held accountable for his deceptive business practices,” said McNair.
Michael Vanhoose is also all too familiar with Marcus Lemonis’ unscrupulous business dealings. Vanhoose was the owner of a small landscaping company in Toledo, Ohio, when he says that Lemonis first contacted him out of the blue. The two built a close friendship. Lemonis gave Vanhoose business advice and even offered him a contract with one of his local Camping World locations. However, Vanhoose’s other customers soon began to cancel their contracts, and he was pushed to accept a $50,000 loan from Lemonis to keep his business afloat. All Vanhoose’s company had left was the contract with Camping World, and soon that contract was gone as well. Lemonis, the man Vanhoose considered a close friend, would no longer return his calls.
“He spoke with me for months trying to convince me that I was his friend. I have a hard time trusting people because I had a rough life growing up, but over the course of months I shared those details with him because he pulled them out of me,” said Vanhoose. “I have feared for so long to speak up, but when I read over and over again that he’s doing similar things to others, I can’t be quiet.”
Gigi Stetler, Sheline McNair, and Michael Vanhoose are available for media interviews. To coordinate, contact RV Advisor at 833-299-0911, or via email at info@thervadvisor.com.
About Gigi Stetler
A fearless entrepreneur, Gigi Stetler created and leads the first female-owned RV company in the United States, RV Sales of Broward. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, she is one of a handful of top RV experts in the country. Stetler also launched and runs The RV Advisor- an online platform to effectively connect millions of RV owners, dealers, and service centers that is considered the “Angie’s List” of the RV industry. Stetler is also the founder of the non-profit RV Advisor Consumer Association (RVACA), which provides RVs to healthcare workers who need a safe space to quarantine and isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic.