Owner of Phony Employment Agency Convicted

By Lookout Staff

The owner of a local employment agency that offered non-existing jobs was convicted and sentenced in Santa Monica Municipal Court Monday for false advertising and misleading customers.

Anthony Peter Remsen, who owned Santa Monica-based Air Lynx International, pled no contest to six criminal counts for falsely promising jobs in the airline industry through nationwide newspaper and Internet ads.

The ads stated that airlines were "now hiring" and implied that specific jobs were available. Customers paid the company $165 but instead of jobs, they were sent packets with generic information and job-hunting advice.

Customer complaints prompted an investigation by the City Attorneys office, which filed criminal charges against Remsen last September. The case was set to go to trial May 15.

Remsen was placed on three years' probation and ordered to pay $7,095 in restitution to some 43 victims nationwide. As part of the sentence, Remsen is forbidden from operating any form of employment agency for the three years.

"We are glad that we were able to get the customers their money back," said Deputy City Attorney Adam Radinsky. "We advise customers to check up on companies before making any payment or commitment, especially when they pay over the telephone or Internet."

Employment agencies in California are required to be bonded by the Secretary of State, Radinsky said. If an agency has not posted a bond, they are operating illegally, he said.