Missing wedding studio owners accused of ‘extravagant lifestyle’

Glasser Images Lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed against wedding photography studio Glasser Images, which abruptly closed its doors last year and refused to offer refunds to clients who had already paid for services.

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley filed a civil lawsuit May 3 against Glasser Images, LLC and its owner, Jack Glasser, for allegedly defrauding consumers and subcontractors in multiple states, including North Dakota, South Dakota , Minnesota and Colorado.

The suit alleges that Glasser and his partner used company funds to finance their extravagant “lifestyle of fine dining, travel, and luxury vehicles.”

After Bismark, North Dakota-based Glasser Images abruptly closed its doors in October 2021, the Attorney General’s office received 539 complaints alleging claims totaling more than $1.4 million.

The unexpected closure of Glasser Images left couples without photographers for their upcoming weddings, while other couples were denied promised photos of their big day or even refunds. The closure also meant the dismissal of some sixty employees and subcontractors.

In the lawsuit, Wrigley confirmed that the Division of Consumer Protection had conducted a thorough investigation of the wedding photography company.

Wrigley says Glasser Images falsely blamed its closure on the pandemic. Court documents allege that Jack Glasser and his partner and employee Jace Schacher spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of the company’s money on personal expenses for their lavish lifestyle while seeking loans to keep the business afloat.

“Our complaint alleges that Glasser Images had been experiencing serious financial problems for years, but falsely blamed the pandemic for the company’s closure,” Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in a statement.

“Despite severely decapitalizing the company, Jack Glasser continued to take out loans from banks, the government, friends, and family, while enjoying a lifestyle of fine dining, travel, and luxury vehicles, all at his own expense. at the expense of its business customers.

According to court documents, Glasser and Schacher used company money to pay for frequent meals and drinks at high-end restaurants, Pirogue Grille in Bismarck and The Luft in Bismarck.

The suit alleges that “on one occasion, the company purchased a $400 meal for Jack’s birthday at the Pirogue” and that the couple dined at The Pirogue Grille and The Luft 17 times in the span of a month in mid-2020.

The documents also state that Glasser and Schacher leased a 2021 Audi S5 Quattro for $2,059.35 per month, as well as a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450, costing the company $1,631.97 per month.

The company’s money also allegedly went toward personal travel, including a trip to Hawaii in 2018, as well as mortgage payments, haircuts, hair care products, plants, and “frivolous subscription services for themselves.” including meal kits, shake kits, and alcohol kits.” .”

The complaint claims that Glasser and Schacher had spent at least $499,000 of the company’s money on themselves by the end of 2020.

The Attorney General’s lawsuit seeks to bar Glasser from providing photography services in the future and seeks restitution for clients and subcontractors and impose appropriate civil penalties.

Bismark Tribune Glasser attorney Tim O’Keeffe said in a statement that his client is “devastated” by the closure of the business.

“The AG’s office has stated its own views in the complaint, which is full of speculation and bragging,” O’Keefe said. “We maintain that this is a failed business and not an elaborate conspiracy.”

O’Keeffe added that Glasser “has been devastated by the closure of Glasser Images and the negative impact it has had on its customers, employees, subcontractors and the community.”

Glasser Images had been working with a provider, ShootProof, to revert to client images that had already been taken at the time of its closure.

On Monday, May 16, a couple who had been affected by the photography company’s closing appeared on Dr. Phil and explained that a quarter of their wedding budget went to pay for Glasser Images, but they still don’t have photos to show, as Reported by KFRYTV.

With the help of ShootProof, Dr. Phil surprised the North Dakota couple with all of their wedding photos.

Image credits: Header photo licensed through Depositphotos.

Source: petapixel.com