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Youfit Complaints Prompt Investigation

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
YouFit Health Clubs
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

A year’s worth of consumer complaints has triggered a Florida Attorney General’s Office investigation of Youfit health clubs, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

A spokesman for the Attorney General told the Sun Sentinel the state began an inquiry in October to examine “unfair and deceptive trade” practice claims from 40 customers of  the Pinellas County-based chain. Youfit founder Rick Berks said he was unaware of the complaints until January, the Sun Sentinel reports.

The investigation coincides with a breech of contract lawsuit Youfit filed against a former vendor that handled personal-training sessions. Berks said Custom Built sold contracts to Youfit customers after the gym and contractor had ended their agreement. Some of the complaints being investigated by the Attorney General stem from these prepaid training sessions, the Sun Sentinel said.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.