02 Media review: Law Suit Rip Off Scam

TV firm sues partner over business failure
By ALEXANDRA CLOUGH
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 19, 2009
Scott Woolley's business troubles might make for a sobering reality television show.
But it's not a show, it's Woolley's life - and the death of his venerable TV production company, Boca Raton-based Five Star Productions.

During the 1990s, the grocery store heir founded the independent Five Star and turned it into a formidable player in Palm Beach County TV production. Five Star counted hair guru John Paul Dejoria, chairman of John Paul Mitchell Systems, as a partner. The company fashioned syndicated news and information programs starring such celebrities as Ed Begley Jr., Cindy Williams, George Hamilton and Kim Alexis. It even handled sports animation and computer graphics for baseball's Florida Marlins and hockey's Florida Panthers. By 2001, Five Star was up to 70 employees.
But Woolley says in court records he's lost everything he built. The culprit, according to a lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, is 02 Media, a Pompano Beach business, and its officials, Gerald Czarnecki and Mark Alfieri. In September 2008, Five Star formed a new venture with 02 Media called BrandStar Entertainment LLC. BrandStar's purpose was to market Five Star's half-hour show, The Balancing Act, which airs daily on the Lifetime cable TV channel.

Things didn't go as planned. In the September complaint filed by Woolley and Five Star, Woolley alleges BrandStar never paid him $314, 000 in consulting fees, never repaid him a $250, 000 advance, and never paid $1.2 million in rent. Even worse, Woolley alleges BrandStar stripped Five Star's Boca Raton studio, walking out in February with equipment, computers and employees - all unrelated to BrandStar.
Among the files removed were those of Paul Mitchell, the Dan Marino Foundation and Alonzo Mourning Charities.
Five Star "has pretty much ceased operations, " said Woolley's attorney, Ken Lipman. "To say (Woolley) is upset is to put it mildly."
Patricia Klein, an attorney and registered agent for 02 and BrandStar, did not return a phone call requesting comment.
In his complaint, Woolley said he learned after he struck the deal with 02 Media that the company wasn't what it seemed. In addition to learning 02 Media grossed only about $700, 000 a month, instead of the promised $1.4 million, Woolley claims he learned that 02 Media is featured on a Web site, scam.com. On this Web site, the lawsuit alleges, posters have this to say about 02 Media: "Don't do business with them."