AG and DLT investigating complaints against Providence gym

A Providence gym is under investigation by the Attorney General after numerous customer and employee complaints surrounding billing problems.

The Public Information Officer for AG’s office, Amy Kempe, telling ABC 6 News that around a dozen complaints have been filed against Synrgy Health and Fitness. She says a civil investigative demand has been filed for the owner Michael Owen to appear before them on August 17th.

The Department and Labor and Training says they’re investigating three wage related complaints.

"I don’t really understand how they are still open if that’s how they are going to treat their customers,” said Carly Goldstein a former gym member.

Goldstein says her problems began back in January when she realized she had been double charged for a personal training session. She says it took months to get a refund. And, from there her membership was terminated leading to a new fight to be refunded for the training sessions she had already paid for.

"It took better business bureau complaints, yelp reviews, Facebook reviews emailing and calling them like every few days and then finally speaking with the attorney general for them to actually refund me,” said Goldstein.

Several former personal trainers say they dealt with bouncing paychecks for months before finally deciding to move on.

"They bounce more often than not that was really the crux of it all,” said former Synrgy personal trainer Ken Cormier. "I’m still owed my final pay check which I have in my pocket actually but I’ve been unable to cash it."

"I still have six checks that I can’t cash as well as I haven’t received my W2’s from him,” said another former personal trainer Steve Tripp.

We went to the gym on Wednesday asking to speak with Owen and were referred to his attorney, Jules D’Alessandro.

“We’ve never kept a dime from anybody that we are not entitled to,” said D’Alessandro.

 He did add that it is out of their control how quickly refunds are processed. D’Alessandro also points to the fact that several of the former employees are now all working together at a different gym. Those we spoke with say they have no ulterior motive against Synrgy Health and Fitness.

Tripp says he has signed on to be part of a civil lawsuit in the process of being filed by former gym employees.

Cormier says he’s in the process of filing a complaint with the DLT.

(C) WLNE 2016