Photographer claims city is out to get her
A Santa Monica wedding photographer allegedly bilked 17 newlywed couples out of about $2,000 each, the city attorney’s office said Monday.
But the photographer, Juli Anne Armitage, said the counts filed against her are bogus and called the city attorney’s investigation a witch hunt.
The city attorney claims Armitage allegedly promised wedding photography packages but didn’t provide the promised goods.
The complaint, filed in Superior Court, lists 17 separate couples who allege that Armitage collected money from them but didn’t provide photos of their wedding or never showed up to the wedding at all — an allegation Armitage denies.
“I am proven guilty until innocent,” she complained. Unable to be reached for comment in person on Monday, Armitage left several responses to the allegations on a reporter’s voice mail.
The city attorney’s office said Armitage never returned the customers’ calls or letters.
Armitage stands accused of receiving full payment from the bride and groom before the wedding date. The amounts paid ranged between $1,500 and $2,900, according to the city attorney’s office.
But Armitage said the city attorney’s office is preventing her from completing the work for her clients. Because all of her property — including client files, her computer hard drive, negatives and all information relating to her business — has been seized by the city attorney’s office, she hasn’t been able to communicate with her customers or deliver the promised goods.
As a result, clients are upset, Armitage said.
She added that she was running late in delivering the photo albums because of personal family problems of her own.
“Truly this is a situation of running late and I had every intention of following through with my clients,” Armitage said. “I would never intentionally fraud somebody and just take their money and not follow through.
“Everybody has been very patient about it,” she added.
The alleged fraud occurred between 2000 and 2002, according to the complaint.
At least one couple’s patience ran out. Alan Damasco and Caroline Damasco won a $2,600 judgment from Armitage in Santa Monica small claims court earlier this month.
The couple testified that Armitage didn’t send them several of their wedding albums from their October 2001 ceremony.
“Well, I hope at least your wedding was nice,” Groman told the couple.
Alan Damasco responded, “Oh yeah, it was real memorable.”
Armitage said when Teresa Bransfield, a consumer specialist in the city attorney’s office, came with a search warrant to her Santa Monica studio and seized her property months ago, she was acting on three written complaints filed by clients to the city’s consumer affairs division. Armitage alleged that because Bransfield couldn’t bring “real” fraud charges, so it charged her with misdemeanors.
“She has put me in a situation that I can’t communicate with my clients,” Armitage said, adding the city attorney’s office won’t return her phone calls. “For months, (Bransfield) has kept me in the dark and put me out of business.
“They are making it worse for the consumer,” Armitage added. “These people would love to have their albums before the holiday season,” but she said she can’t get the negatives or reach her clients.
The 17 grand theft counts are misdemeanors. Each carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The criminal case against Armitage was filed in Santa Monica Municipal Court, where Armitage is scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 18. She said she has hired an attorney to help retrieve her property from the city and will ask that the court hearing be postponed.
“I’m sure the charges will be reversed once we go back to court,” she said.
Most of the couples included in the complaint had found Armitage on the Internet. Her Web site profiles her as a photographer who takes “unobtrusive candids with a touch of tradition” for weddings and events, as well as head shots for actors, fashion portfolios for models, children and families.
She has a client list which includes the City of Santa Monica, the Big Blue Bus, W.I.S.E Senior Services, Coldwell Banker Realty, Fred Sands Realty, UCLA Medical Center, Time Warner and Capital Records, according to the Web site.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 17, 2002. Read the original PDF.