Case Background

High Society Management, LLC owned a private aircraft. It had signed an Aircraft Service and Operational Control Agreement with Pro Airways, LLC. Pro Airways managed the aircraft and arranged pilots and chartering. High Society reimbursed expenses and directly paid pilots. Pro Airways assigned Peter Wood as a concierge. Ryan Staszko owned Pro Airways. Plaintiffs were High Society and its principal, Michael Weisser. Defendants included Pro Airways, Staszko, Wood, and American Express. High Society operated in Florida. Both Pro Airways and American Express conducted business there.

Events Leading to the Legal Dispute

Pro Airways requested a credit card for incidental charges like fuel and lodging. High Society added Wood to its American Express account. It set a $25,000 spending limit. Pro Airways agreed not to use the card for its own invoices. High Society used the card while the aircraft contract remained active. It paid Pro Airways through wire transfers.

The aircraft was sold in February 2022. The contract ended. Pro Airways flew the plane to Kansas in March. That completed the sale. High Society paid a final invoice in May and asked for the card’s return. Pro Airways never returned it.

On June 6, 2022, Pro Airways charged $56,118.52 on the card. The charge came months after contract termination. It exceeded the card’s limit. Pro Airways claimed it covered services from April to June 2023. But the aircraft was no longer owned. High Society disputed the charge. American Express initially reversed it, then paid Pro Airways after reviewing documents.

Later, American Express froze and cancelled other unrelated accounts. It also reported incorrect information to credit agencies. It listed the debt as personal and claimed the card was cancelled.

Plaintiffs’ Injuries and Their Impact

These actions caused financial and operational harm. Mr. Weisser’s personal credit score dropped 200 points to 615. This hurt his business credibility. Hundreds of transactions failed due to frozen cards. His businesses faced service disruptions. Plaintiffs spent long hours resolving issues with vendors. Despite closed accounts, American Express continued charging annual fees. Plaintiffs claimed these actions were willful and malicious.

Damages

Plaintiffs demanded over $50,000 in damages, excluding legal costs. They sought compensation under Florida’s Consumer Co