Modeling Agency News
Modeling Agent, Attorney General's Office Trade Barbs
"Excel Model Management owner Kelli Harman stopped payment on a check to the state Attorney General and her dissatisfied models because she disagreed with a March news release issued by the attorney general's office, the State College-based modeling agent "1
"According to the attorney general's office, in signing the March agreement, Harman agreed to pay the models refunds of money they paid her to help them get modeling jobs, as well as to pay the state more than $2,000 in investigative costs. In court action announced Tuesday, the attorney general's office said that Harman had stopped payment on the $2,000 check and on the refunds. In addition to $5,000 in sanctions, the state now seeks to bar Harman from operating a modeling agency or being employed in one in Pennsylvania."2
"Deputy Attorney General Barry Creany maintained that the models were lured to the agency with classified ads that made no mention of required fees for seminars. These ads continued even after the settlement was signed, but under a new company name, Millenia Model and Talent--a firm that was essentially run by Harman, Creany said. "In the settlement, there's clearly an assurance that if you're going to have classified ads, you need to have work (for the models). And if you have to pay required fees, put it in the ad," Creany said. "If that's a requirement, put it in the print."3
"She has never told us that she wants to meet with (the models)--that's absolutely not true," Creany said. "She stopped payment, she's not paying restitution, so we're asking the court to stop her from doing it again."4
1. Chris Krewson, "Modeling Agent, Attorney General's Office Trade
Barbs," Centre Daily Times, July 3, 1998, p. 5A.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
(Kelli Harman, Kelli S. Harman, Excel Model Management, Millenia Model and Talent, Inc.)
Attorney General Penalizes Modeling Agency
"The state Attorney General's office is seeking more than $5,000 in sanctions against Kelli Harman, owner of State College modeling agency Excel Model Management, as well as a court order prohibiting Harman from operating a modeling agency in Pennsylvania. Attorney General Mike Fisher said Harman knowingly violated a signed settlement agreement with his office, according to a news release dated June 30. Harman was ordered on March 13 to pay restitution to customers who responded to the agency's ads to model but didn't realize there was a fee required. Harman was also ordered to pay the attorney general's office more than $2,000 for civil penalties and the cost of the investigation."1
"The office also stipulated that future advertisements include that applicants must pay a fee to model. Harman stopped payment on the penalty check 10 days after she settled the case, and continued running the unchanged ads in The Daily Collegian and The Altoona Mirror until April, said Deputy Attorney General Barry Creany, who filed the motion to seek sanctions. She then started Millenia Model and Talent, Inc., a company that operated from the same building as Excel and advertised in the same way, Creany said--another violation of the original settlement. "Technically the new corporation is headed by Larry Harman, so now it's his corporation. But she is an employee and, from what we can gather, she's the director in day-to-day affairs," Creany said. "That's relevent in the case, because it's her personally involved in the acts."2
1. Chris Krewson, "Attorney General Penalizes Modeling Agency," Centre
Daily Times, July 2, 1998, p. 5A.
2. Ibid.
(Kelli Harman, Kelli S. Harman, Excel Model Management, Millenia Model and Talent, Inc.)
Modeling firm to make refunds in job-offer deal
"It appears the help-wanted ads were being used to bring people into a training program rather than providing them with employment," said Deputy Attorney General Barry Creany in Ebensburg, who investigated 22 complaints against the agency. For instance, he alleges a brochure from the agency cited a 95 percent job placement record, yet the majority of people never got paying jobs. Instead, they were offered training that could cost up to $835, Creany said. Part of that training involved charging aspiring models a $350 fee to take their pictures. The photographer got $200 and the agency got $150, he said. "Legitimate agencies make money from models' commissions," Creany said. "It's not common practice for an agency to charge the consumers for the photographers or receive a commission from the photographers." Creany's office received about a dozen complaints after Excel opened an office in Johnstown in early 1997 and closed it in October, he said."1
"According to consumer complaints, Excel allegedly: Placed ads seeking models to work for $10 to $75 per hour while numerous customers already under contract had not received any work assignments. Failed to disclose in ads that fees of up to $835 for videotaped auditions, training seminars and photo shoots would be required to be eligible for modeling assignments. Failed to disclose that the agency received a discount from the hair salon customers were required to use. Misrepresented that customers would receive gainful employment if they went through the training program. Charged customers excessive interest and late fees on payment plan balances. Attempted to collect debts from relatives who had signed contracts along with their minor children, even though they were not legally liable for payments. Accepted deposits for a soap opera acting seminar, then failed to refund customers when the seminar did not take place."2
1. Lisa Haarlander, "Modeling firm to make refunds in job-offer deal," Centre
Daily Times, Mar. 14, 1998, p. 7B.
2. Ibid.
(Kelli Harman, Kelli S. Harman, Excel Model Management, Millenia Model and Talent, Inc.)
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