Manhattan Club Lawsuit

maryjeanw,

save yourself anguish and falling deeper into a financial quagmire. do NOTHING, NOTHING AT ALL regarding the manhattan club unless you have a good attorney who will work for you to avoid being defrauded AGAIN by tmc.

a suggestion is to consult with an attorney who several tmc owners have retained..........................................jean-marc zimmerman. his contact information follows:

CONTACT ​ E-MAIL JMZ@ZIMLLP.COM ​ PHONE (908) 768-6408 ​ FAX (908) 935-0751 MAIL 233 WATCHUNG FORK WESTFIELD, NJ 07090

no guarantees, but it's a good start.

maryjeanw wrote:

Christine Stile sent my mother this contract that requested her to sign the timeshare over to them. She said my mother emailed them requesting this. My mother never emailed them. She threatened that if she didn’t do this, they would be forced to foreclose on the timeshare since she hasn’t been paying maintenance fees. This is another lie. We were told by the attorney general’s office (Louis Soloman) that TMC owners are banned from being in the Timeshare business and had to pay restitution to timeshare purchasers. They have 3 years to clean up their books before Bluegreen takes over their business. I suspect this contract is their attempt to minimize losses. We were all told not to worry about foreclosure and to stop paying maintenance fees when the AG’s office began this lawsuit. If you still want Christine’s number I will get it to you.

thomasm832 wrote:

Does anyone have any knowledge (not guessing) about whether the TMC "ownership" will automatically pass to next of kin (which I DON'T want), or can my mom specifically request that it NOT be transferred. (Of course I hope it is many years before this is an issue, but good to know ahead of time.)

Thomas, I lost my Mom 6 years ago. I had three lawyers. One in MA where I live, one in VA where she lived and had to hire one in NY because of the time share. I researched and got lots of information and advice otherwise. Whether the legal advice was true or not or bad, whatever, I had to inherit her timeshare...I was told I could not accept her whole estate (to not get the timeshare) or I had to accept it all, which I did. My advice is do your research now and try to find good lawyers to talk to in your/your Mom's state and in NYC. I have talked to other time share owners, one couple from South Carolina who enjoy TMC but somehow managed to write it into their wills/estate planning that their timeshare ends with their deaths. Others on the forum have said you don't have to accept it and they explain why but I don't remember. Your best hope, to not inherit, is to establish the legal truth and have your Mother arrange her will/estate to reflect that she doesn't want to pass it to her heirs. You are lucky you have her still and that you can perhaps do something about it. Especially because of the recent investigation. My Mother was just realizing she got herself into a bad deal when she died before the investigation. Best of luck to you.

williamm465 wrote:

After speaking with Lynn O’Donnell, I learned that Bluegreen is not buying TMC. They are purchasing units/weeks that have been unsold and units that TMC has taken back by foreclosure and by-backs. As a former Bluegreen owner, I understand why this makes sense. When you own Bluegreen, you own points that can be used in any of its resorts. Bluegreen wants its owners to be able to book the Bluegreen owned units in TMC. Bluegreen will be TMC owners just as you and I are. It is my hope that they will not get any sort of discount or break when it comes to yearly fees, but who knows with the current TMC management. Of course TMC management is a mess and is required to change. I don’t know why it is taking so long. My understanding from Lynn O’Donnell is that Bluegreen will not manage TMC. These are my understandings after our conversation.

I personally would not trust Lynn O'Donnell. She took back my timeshare in June of 2014. I was to get $100 and final paperwork. At this point I don't care about the $100 but want the final paperwork. She claimed the investigation put a stop to that. She claims she knows nothing. The last couple of times I tried to reach her she doesn't reply. I tried calling and emailing.

I wonder what you get for that amount and here is one review from trip advisor....sounds like exactly what my Mother and Sister went through when they bought at TMC...probably a matter of time before their maintenance fees increase. https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=hilton+timeshare+nyc+reviews&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

chrisv126 wrote:

hello..........

UNBELIEVABLE ..........$1,400 maintenance fee at a branded (HILTON) timeshare on w 57 st!!!!!

i'm paying around $3,500 MF for a one bedroom at TMC.

fibon wrote:

THE PRICE OF TS IN NYC Somehow a letter from the Hilton Club came into my mailbox ********************************************************************

Resort: West 57th By Hilton Club Points: 3,750 points Unit Type: Studio Plus Season: Gold Usage: Annual Ownership: Deeded Maintenance: $1,400 Annually (estimated)

Price: $5,000 Closing Costs: $2,731 ($1300 Deeding and Recording, $1,082 Transfer & Hilton Activation Fee, $349 Admin Fee) Total Costs: $7,731

Chris, Thanks for your reply. I agree with you about consulting an attorney before doing anything. This Zimmerman is listed online as a Patent Attorney. Has he won cases on Real Estate fraud? My sisters and I are also concerned about inheriting this nightmare eventually too.

maryjeanw wrote:

Christine Stile sent my mother this contract that requested her to sign the timeshare over to them. She said my mother emailed them requesting this. My mother never emailed them. She threatened that if she didn’t do this, they would be forced to foreclose on the timeshare since she hasn’t been paying maintenance fees. This is another lie. We were told by the attorney general’s office (Louis Soloman) that TMC owners are banned from being in the Timeshare business and had to pay restitution to timeshare purchasers. They have 3 years to clean up their books before Bluegreen takes over their business. I suspect this contract is their attempt to minimize losses. We were all told not to worry about foreclosure and to stop paying maintenance fees when the AG’s office began this lawsuit. If you still want Christine’s number I will get it to you.

Maryjeanw, could please share the phone number for Louis Soloman? I think the information you have provided is very true and aligns with the AOD.

NY Attorney General’s Office, Real Estate Finance Bureau, Louis Soloman, Chief of Enforcement (212)416-8109

My time shares at the Manhattan Club are fee simple ownership which means they are mine and would be part of my estate if they still belong to me at the time of my death. Fee simple ownership can be deeded to others or would pass under the owner's will if he/she has a will or to the heirs if the owner dies intestate (without a will).

When will there be some info about Zimmerman trying to get an owners list?

has anyone dealt with danielle in TMC FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICE?

if so what were the issues that were addressed?

chrisv126 wrote:

has anyone dealt with danielle in TMC FINANCIAL SERVICES OFFICE?

if so what were the issues that were addressed?

yes, She used to be with financial services. I dealt with her in the context of reservations and billing.

Maryjean W., thank you.

maryjeanw wrote:

NY Attorney General’s Office, Real Estate Finance Bureau, Louis Soloman, Chief of Enforcement (212)416-8109

referring to danielle in financial services, were there any comments that arose about foreclosing on our shares due to nonpayment of maintenance fees? i ask that because this seems to be a new tactic being attempted by tmc. this is only an educated guess, but i believe FORECLOSURE is an instrument used for nonpayment of a mortgage.

i hope someone knowledgeable within this context can clarify this issue.

To william m and mary jean, While many have questions , the only way to get answers as well as representation is to join with others by hiring Zimmerman to represent you and work through some resolution for you. Zimmermans plan of action is known to us who have joined and available within endless pages of this site. I will not share any info but I think he has membership list as first action and may have already been filed. Why people are asking other people "what do you think" seems a waste of time for all to endlessly hear. Again those that join may get a handsome recovery as the AG did uncover massive fraud , those who dont join WILL be at the end of the line as represented claiments get first recovery. sid feldman

I did speak with Lynn O'Donnell a number of weeks ago. I know she works for the Manhattan club as I was transferred to her line by someone else at TMC. I know nothing else about her.

Sid-- I was just curious. I am an owner, ten years, who uses his time each year. I have never been unable to get the time I wanted l am lucky to be able to book 10 to 12 months in advance. My only problem with TMC is the rapidly increasing costs. Many many months ago, I made similar comments and was accused of being a shill. Remember, Chris V?

I was in contact with Lynne O’Donnell via email and was added to a list of owners who are current on dues, and are willing to just “give-back” and relinquish any future rights, responsibilities and are not requesting compensation. The TMC was inherited to beneficiaries, including myself, and we strictly want to be out of it. So far we tried listing in for sale with SMTN and had to pay them about $1,500 a few years ago and this year the Trust paid the hideous dues. It pretty much wiped out the cash balance of the Trust. We just want out, hoping to be released but it has been quite some time and I emailed a month ago asking for a timeframe status and never received a reply. Hoping.....

williamm465 wrote:

I did speak with Lynn O'Donnell a number of weeks ago. I know she works for the Manhattan club as I was transferred to her line by someone else at TMC. I know nothing else about her.

Why don't you just not pay anymore? Contributors on this website worry about (a) adverse credit reports, or (b) your estate getting stuck with the burden, if they stop paying. Neither should be a worry. Numerous contributors have written over the years that they stopped paying and no adverse credit report was ever filed--plus, you could validly contest it if it ever happened. And as far as your estate is concerned, there's a VERY easy fix, which I suggested a year ago but no one seems to have picked up on. Just do a Will (or a codicil to your existing Will) and specifically leave your time share to someone or something you don't give a hoot about.: Good candidates would be (1) the State you live in; (2) the Eicnhers--those guys who have been ripping off the TMC; (3) the TMC itself; (4) your worst enemy; (5) Donald Trump (although he might fire you!!). The beneficiary now owns your TMC interest, not your family beneficiaries. And for good measure, provide that if whomever you leave it to rejects (disclaims) it (as permitted by law in every state), then provide in the Will that in the event of a disclaimer, the interest goes to the State of New York (with all the bureaucratic red tape in NY, they'd probably never get around to disclaiming it). (PS I have been an estates lawyer for 50 years).

Fellow Owners, Thousands of us have been cheated and scammed for years by an unscrupulous band of crooks lead by Ian Bruce Eichner. The NY Attorney General conducted a multi-million dollar, 3-year-long civil and criminal investigation into their illegal conduct and then settled with Eichner and his cronies as they admitted their criminal conduct. They were allowed to walk away SCOTT FREE by paying a token financial settlement, and by promising to stop breaking the law. To add insult to injury, the AG agreed that the restitution will only be paid to owners who, despite being defrauded for years by TMC, continued to pay maintenance fees to the criminal enterprise.

The NY Attorney General’s undercover investigators have evidence of all the fraudulent sales tactics recorded on video. The crooks admitted to it all as a part of the settlement! What CRIMINAL punishment is being imposed? NOTHING! And they are still violating the settlement with impunity! I’m having a hard time understanding why everyone on this site is not cheering at the thought of finally having a lawyer who is willing to take on TMC on our behalf with each of us only being asked to contribute a $1250 retainer. With the sale to BlueGreen recently announced, now is the time for us to take aggressive legal action and bring pressure to bear. The last thing a prospective purchaser wants to hear is that the property is mired in lawsuits.

Please stop rationalizing over why you can’t, won’t, or shouldn’t take any steps to fight back. After being screwed so badly, why would you consider walking away for a lousy $100? I want some justice, don’t you?! I want the people who cheated me to be held accountable, don’t you?! I urge all TMC owners to contact Mr. Zimmerman at (908) 768-6408, or jmz@tmcsuit.com, and ask him to represent you too. Bob Biello

Steven W, Wonderful. I took note of your sensible solution but was unsure what to do if TMC disclaimed it.