I began working with Cobalt-EDI (previously Exhibit Developers, Inc.) as a freelance exhibit designer in January, 2013. I received direction from owner Tony Spatola.
- Total Money owed from Cobalt-EDI including interest + statutory percentage of attorney's fees = $6,752.30
- Total payment received from Cobalt-EDI ALL TIME = $3590.00
- Out of $10,342.30 owed to me all time, Cobalt-EDI has only paid me $3590.00
- Latest outstanding invoice is now 14 months late.
- I contacted owner Tony Spatola numerous times before taking legal action, even offering him a reduced total amount owed.
- Tony refused and still refuses to send payment.
- I hired a lawyer and took Cobalt-EDI to court and won my case. I obtained a default judgement totaling $6,752.30. Tony Spatola failed to attend the hearing Tony Spatola never reached out to my lawyer for settlement.
- Including my own Rip-Off-Report post against Cobalt-EDI, there is a total of 3 Rip-Off-Reports from 3 different companies stating Cobalt-EDI has failed to pay them money owed. Links are listed below:
I guess Im the biggest dummy. It took Tony 3 years to pay me after the first time I worked with him. So he called a couple years later and I got suckered in to help him. He didn't agree with my estimate so I said I would not do the work. He then said do two of the 5 jobs and I agreed, he gave me a deposit. He begged me last minute to do the others and I agreed like a fool. My estimate was right and his was wrong so I am was on the hook. I told him I would not take the jobs down until I got my money, he gave me a little more so I did. He owes me over 12K and said he planned on paying me but the only payment he made with a check, he stopped payment on. After months of him not returning calls or emails and moving his business yet again, I made a report. He did finally email me saying what I did was wrong, Yes I cant believe it either. Now he says he wont pay me because I did that. He is a real piece of work. Send me your lawyers name.
Shea Stewart Designs had provided my company with trade show designs. Upon paying Shea Stewart for the designs that he performed over 5k in payments we contiued to provide him with more work. The trade show business is a little tricky as we have to wait almost 1-3 month before a decision is made on those designs. I explained this to Shea and he agreed to take on additional work. Upon taking on additional work he requested that he be paid. I did continue to pay him. I will be honest as we did fall a little behind on making payments as we were waiting on a couple of the large projects to come through. Keep in mind that we are a company that has bills and overhead as far as rent, payroll, etc. Shea Stewart who works out of his house does not have anywhere near the overhead that we have.. I told him that I would make payments to him until we found out what would happen with the large projects and he agreed. Unfortunately we were not awarded the projects. That is a risk we pay by getting designs and using freelance designers. When Shea foud out that we did not get the projects he obviously was worried about getting paid which I assured him that would not be a problem. I do use 5-6 freelance designers and have not had a problem with anyone. Shea may tell you different but we have been in business for over 35 years. Shea Stewart proceeded to file a lawsuit against my company and of course write that I did not pay him over 5k in work in which he did not give me a chance to. He also did not mention the amount that I paid him which was over 5k. I told His lawyer that I would make a payment plan with him however he said that it would not fly and that he would proceed with the suit. Shea continued to bash my company and post negative comment on my social networks which I find very unfair. I have contiued to tell him to try and work something out however he will not. He has written a ripoffreprot on my company and continues to bash me as if I never wanted to pay him. I am setting the record striaight here and now. I am fed up with companies doing this.
Tony, you still owe me $1800 from two small jobs I did for you back in 2011 when you were still Exhibit Developers, inc. working out of an office in Melrose Park, Illinois. How many times did you tell me you'd send me a FedEx or UPS tracking number, or that the person who normally handles this is out. Perhaps $1800 is not much to you, but it would have been mortgage and utilities for me... you know, 'overhead'. Spout all of the lame excuses you'd care to, but in the few years of freelancing, YOU are the only one from whom I ever got excuses rather than payment.
Shea Stewart Design, LLC Reviews
My Work History with Cobalt-EDI and Tony Spatola
I began working with Cobalt-EDI (previously Exhibit Developers, Inc.) as a freelance exhibit designer in January, 2013. I received direction from owner Tony Spatola.
- Total Money owed from Cobalt-EDI including interest + statutory percentage of attorney's fees = $6,752.30
- Total payment received from Cobalt-EDI ALL TIME = $3590.00
- Out of $10,342.30 owed to me all time, Cobalt-EDI has only paid me $3590.00
- Latest outstanding invoice is now 14 months late.
- I contacted owner Tony Spatola numerous times before taking legal action, even offering him a reduced total amount owed.
- Tony refused and still refuses to send payment.
- I hired a lawyer and took Cobalt-EDI to court and won my case. I obtained a default judgement totaling $6,752.30. Tony Spatola failed to attend the hearing Tony Spatola never reached out to my lawyer for settlement.
- Including my own Rip-Off-Report post against Cobalt-EDI, there is a total of 3 Rip-Off-Reports from 3 different companies stating Cobalt-EDI has failed to pay them money owed. Links are listed below:
- http://tinyurl.com/q7fowxq
- http://tinyurl.com/qejjsua
- http://tinyurl.com/pou4z85
Another debt owed
I guess Im the biggest dummy. It took Tony 3 years to pay me after the first time I worked with him. So he called a couple years later and I got suckered in to help him. He didn't agree with my estimate so I said I would not do the work. He then said do two of the 5 jobs and I agreed, he gave me a deposit. He begged me last minute to do the others and I agreed like a fool. My estimate was right and his was wrong so I am was on the hook. I told him I would not take the jobs down until I got my money, he gave me a little more so I did. He owes me over 12K and said he planned on paying me but the only payment he made with a check, he stopped payment on. After months of him not returning calls or emails and moving his business yet again, I made a report. He did finally email me saying what I did was wrong, Yes I cant believe it either. Now he says he wont pay me because I did that. He is a real piece of work. Send me your lawyers name.
Shea Stewart Designs had provided my company with trade show designs. Upon paying Shea Stewart for the designs that he performed over 5k in payments we contiued to provide him with more work. The trade show business is a little tricky as we have to wait almost 1-3 month before a decision is made on those designs. I explained this to Shea and he agreed to take on additional work. Upon taking on additional work he requested that he be paid. I did continue to pay him. I will be honest as we did fall a little behind on making payments as we were waiting on a couple of the large projects to come through. Keep in mind that we are a company that has bills and overhead as far as rent, payroll, etc. Shea Stewart who works out of his house does not have anywhere near the overhead that we have.. I told him that I would make payments to him until we found out what would happen with the large projects and he agreed. Unfortunately we were not awarded the projects. That is a risk we pay by getting designs and using freelance designers. When Shea foud out that we did not get the projects he obviously was worried about getting paid which I assured him that would not be a problem. I do use 5-6 freelance designers and have not had a problem with anyone. Shea may tell you different but we have been in business for over 35 years. Shea Stewart proceeded to file a lawsuit against my company and of course write that I did not pay him over 5k in work in which he did not give me a chance to. He also did not mention the amount that I paid him which was over 5k. I told His lawyer that I would make a payment plan with him however he said that it would not fly and that he would proceed with the suit. Shea continued to bash my company and post negative comment on my social networks which I find very unfair. I have contiued to tell him to try and work something out however he will not. He has written a ripoffreprot on my company and continues to bash me as if I never wanted to pay him. I am setting the record striaight here and now. I am fed up with companies doing this.
Shea's not the only one...
Tony, you still owe me $1800 from two small jobs I did for you back in 2011 when you were still Exhibit Developers, inc. working out of an office in Melrose Park, Illinois. How many times did you tell me you'd send me a FedEx or UPS tracking number, or that the person who normally handles this is out. Perhaps $1800 is not much to you, but it would have been mortgage and utilities for me... you know, 'overhead'. Spout all of the lame excuses you'd care to, but in the few years of freelancing, YOU are the only one from whom I ever got excuses rather than payment.