Attorney General's News Release

June 5, 2006

Second door-to-door salesman who stiffed consumers on magazine subscriptions to pay $4,699 in restitution, penalties

Columbia, Mo. — A man who sold magazine subscriptions door to door in central and southwest Missouri but never delivered the magazines will pay $2,699 in restitution to consumers and $2,000 to the state of Missouri. Under a court order obtained by Attorney General Jay Nixon, Jason E. Cogbill is also permanently barred from selling magazines or engaging in door-to-door sales in Missouri.

Last December, Nixon filed a lawsuit in Boone County Circuit Court against Cogbill, one of the owners of Creek House Subscription. At the time of the lawsuit, Cogbill had a Joplin address as his current residence. Cogbill's co-defendant, Kameron C. Johnson, was ordered to pay $6,863 in restitution and penalties as part of an agreement reached with the Attorney General in April.

Nixon said his office received more than 60 complaints from consumers in Boone, Callaway, Camden, Christian, Cole and Greene counties who said they paid for subscriptions they never received. Cogbill and Johnson also falsely claimed to be students from the University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri State University in Springfield.

Cogbill is prohibited by the court order from continuing to operate Creek House Subscription in the state of Missouri. Consumers who purchased magazine subscriptions from Creek House can file a complaint through the Attorney General's Office Web site, www.ago.mo.gov, or by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222.

In addition to the restitution, Cogbill will pay a $1,000 civil penalty and $1,000 to cover the costs of the Attorney General's investigation and prosecution of the case. The consent judgment and permanent injunction approved by Circuit Judge Gene Hamilton also prohibits Cogbill from engaging in door-to-door sales or soliciting magazine sales in Missouri.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818