The Pennsylvania Attorney General has launched a lawsuit against a Florida-based entity, PA Corporate Certificates, LLC, for allegedly impersonating the Pennsylvania Department of State to defraud entrepreneurs who recently registered their businesses.
Filed in the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas, the lawsuit names PA Corporate Certificates and its owners—Brian Capobiano, Dean Marshlack, and David Marshlack—as defendants. The company has been accused of using misleading tactics to demand payments from newly-registered business owners for a document referred to as a Subsistence Certificate.
According to officials, PA Corporate Certificates sent out letters that closely resembled official documents from the Pennsylvania Department of State, falsely portraying the necessity of a Subsistence Certificate. Although this legitimate document is available for $40, it is not required for all businesses.
Reports indicate that the company inflated the certificate’s cost to $102.50, collecting payments from over 1,000 business owners. Some received the certificates, while others did not.
“This out-of-state company targeted new business owners by impersonating a government agency,” stated the Attorney General. “Entrepreneurs are vital for our local economies and communities, and any efforts to exploit them will be met with serious action.”
The lawsuit is seeking multiple remedies, including:
- An injunction to prohibit PA Corporate Certificates and its owners from further operations in Pennsylvania.
- Complete refunds for all business owners in Pennsylvania who acquired the certificates.
- Civil penalties reaching up to $1,000 for each violation of state law.
Both the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Attorney General’s Office are actively warning business owners about the scam, encouraging vigilance among those who may receive suspicious communications.
Business owners who have received letters from PA Corporate Certificates are urged to report it to the Attorney General’s Office, which allows complaints to be filed online or via telephone at 1-800-441-2555.
