Florida dance school operators sentenced to prison

Published July 8, 2006 in the St. Petersburg Times

" Cheat gets 30 years to ponder his crimes
Saying dance teacher Michael Pasquarelli was merciless in cheating the elderly, a judge has no mercy for him, either.

By JACOB H. FRIES

LARGO - Before issuing her sentence, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Linda R. Allan had something to say about Michael Pasquarelli and the way he "delighted" in bilking elderly customers who visited his dance studio.

Allan didn't hold back.

"Anyone so lacking in conscience cannot be trusted in this society," she said of Pasquarelli. "Insatiable, wicked greed leaves remarkably ugly footprints."

On Friday, after a morning of legal sparring and watching several of his elderly victims cry in her courtroom, Allan sentenced Pasquarelli, 50, to the maximum 30 years in prison for violating the Racketeer-Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO.

In a separate proceeding, the judge sentenced one of Pasquarelli's employees at Dance Place in Safety Harbor, David B. "Vic" Andrews, to serve 10 years. She said she would have liked to give him more.

The men had shown their victims no mercy - swindling customers out of thousands of dollars at a time - so they deserved none for themselves now, Allan said. Reading notes that she took during the trial make her queasy, she said.

"Mr. Pasquarelli and his enterprise selected society's most vulnerable members as its victims," she said. . . .."

"Former dance studio owner Michael Pasquarelli, center, was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison. Pasquarelli tricked 30 customers into signing 328 different sales contracts totalling $3.5-million, according to investigators.

The $257,000 dance (1/27/02)

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AVOIDING DANCE STUDIO SCAMS
Florida's Dance Studio Act requires ballroom dance studios to register annually with the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Dance studios that have been in business less than three years and demand advance payment of more than $250, or those that enter into installment contracts, also must post a bond with the state.
Consumer protection officials recommend that prospective dance students:

Never sign a blank contract.

Always get a receipt.

Be cautious when signing up for expensive travel and competition packages.

Check for a studio's registration certificate. It must be displayed prominently in the studio.

Always get a written contract for an agreement that entails a commitment of more than seven days. A clause in the law allows a customer to cancel a policy within three days of signing.

To learn more about the state's dance studio law, check online at www.800helpfla.com/dance.html
To file a complaint, go to www.800helpfla.com/ccform.html"

For the complete article go to: http://snipurl.com/sxpb

NOTE: I do not think that this case is typical of dance studios in general, but as with any hobby, people should be careful not to spend more than they can afford. Consider your other needs before budgeting money for recreation.