HARRISBURG, PA —Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s Bureau of Consumer Protection today announced that it has filed a lawsuit against playground equipment suppliers Huntsman Farms LLC and Willowdale Creative Group LLC of Kennett Square. The Manager and Organizer for both companies, William C. Huyler III, is also named in the suit. The Office of Attorney General alleges that Huyler and his businesses sold playground equipment and other products through the website huntsmanfarms.com, but failed to deliver products to consumers or provide refunds.
Huyler is currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania. He was sentenced in May 2021 in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas for multiple counts of Theft by Deception, Forgery, and other crimes stemming from the theft of almost $2 million from eight homeowner’s associations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
“Pennsylvanians who purchased playground equipment through Huyler were left hanging,” said AG Shapiro. “Parents and grandparents spent thousands of dollars on equipment for the children in their lives to enjoy outdoor fun and wound up with no equipment, no explanation, and no refund. Conducting business like this is unacceptable and illegal and I’ll take action every time to ensure Pennsylvanians get their money back.”
Huntsman Farms and Willowdale Creative sold wooden swing sets, playground equipment, related installation services, and other products to consumers in Pennsylvania and more than 13 other states. Unsuspecting consumers paid hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of dollars for products and services that were never delivered. When consumers contacted Huntsman Farms and Willowdale Creative to ask about the status of their orders, they were often completely ignored by the company.
Today’s lawsuit requests the court order Huyler and his companies to:
- Pay restitution to all consumers who have suffered losses as a result of this bad conduct
- Be permanently enjoined from doing business as a seller of goods or services in Pennsylvania or to Pennsylvania residents and businesses
- Be permanently enjoined from any practices that violate Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law
- Pay civil penalties of $1,000 for each violation of the law and $3,000 for each violation involving a consumer 60 or older
Consumers who feel they were victimized by Huyler, Huntsman Farms, or Willowdale Creative, should file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection online, reach out via phone at 1-800-441-2555, or email scams@attorneygeneral.gov.