A children’s shoe enterprise previously primarily based in Naples, Florida, allegedly ripped off hundreds of customers by having orders that had been in no way fulfilled and then failing to issue refunds, according to interviews with customers, Superior Business Bureau issues, a report filed with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office and messages allegedly despatched by the enterprise operator.
Monkey Toes Infant Shoes designed a fanbase among Facebook groups in which countless numbers of new moms participate in a thriving industry for new and made use of little one apparel.
“I don’t believe I can at any time trust a small organization accomplishing preorders like this. I would have been comprehending if the owner was becoming straightforward and truthful about the total circumstance,” claimed 30-yr-previous Tampa resident Sarah Woolley, who ordered shoes for her nieces rom the organization Monkey Feet but by no means acquired them. “It’s my revenue that I worked for and it is misplaced eternally.”
Who owns Monkey Toes?
In 2015, Rachael Dalfonzo begun Monkey Toes LLC in New Jersey, according to company registration documents. She began marketing moccasins, sneakers and ballet flats for young young children. She and her partner, Eric, intended the shoes and imported the completed products from China, according to an archive of the business’ now-defunct web site.
The Dalfonzos could not be arrived at for comment by cellphone at their residence in New Jersey or in particular person at the Naples condominium unit they have.
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One get, sell and trade team for Monkey Ft shoes has additional than 30,000 customers. The company’s personal “VIP” group, where by Dalfonzo would tease new types, experienced extra than 100,000 users just before it stopped enabling new posts.
The footwear have been very affordable and stylish, reported Kristin Arvallo, yet another jilted customer who now helps operate a 17,000 member-potent “buyer beware” Facebook team established to examine Dalfonzo’s alleged misdeeds.
“She kind of designed a subsequent about that,” mentioned Arvallo, an Arizona resident.
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Footwear ordered, hardly ever acquired
Arvallo purchased shoes in March and April of 2022 and never received them, in accordance to email messages between her and the organization offered to the Naples Every day Information, portion of the United states These days Community.. She and other customers commenced accumulating proof, like screenshots of Dalfonzo’s Fb posts, messages and emails in between her and frustrated customers and messages in between Dalfonzo and the Chinese firm that made the sneakers.
“I never have a lot of revenue to spend so recognizing I am sitting down on virtually $200 of products never ever despatched, particularly prior to the holiday seasons is just killing me,” Arvallo wrote to Monkey Feet’s company electronic mail handle in November.
Collier County property information demonstrate the Dalfonzos purchased a dwelling in Naples for $3.925 million in September 2020. But they didn’t continue to keep it extended. In May 2021, they acquired a unit in another Naples condo sophisticated, for $190,000. Two months afterwards, they sold the former house for $5.8 million.
The Dalfonzos then bought a further house in Naples for $3.6 million. And in December of that identical year, they rented a warehouse in a business park at 1478 Rail Head Boulevard in Naples, in which they stored and delivered footwear. In the parking large amount, a sign utilised to mark a reserved space for “The MF Boss” it has due to the fact been taken off.
The 7,700-sq.-foot warehouse, a one-tale constructing with blinds drawn across its windows, nonetheless experienced an eviction observe mounted to its entrance doorway as of Saturday, April 1.
Delays on orders, refunds
Dalfonzo introduced in the spring of 2022 that preorders for some shoes would be delayed for a number of months. The delays extended into months and then by way of the conclusion of the 12 months, with Dalfonzo citing generation backlogs, transport delays, customs holdups and inevitably Hurricane Ian, in accordance to screenshots of messages and Facebook posts shared by the “buyer beware” group.
And when refunds had been processed they in some cases did not arrive by means of, according to multiple shoppers. They posted screenshots of communications with PayPal’s buyer provider saying there have been insufficient resources in Monkey Feet’s account to refund their obtain.
Arvallo submitted for refunds as a result of Paypal for 3 of her orders, however two were being outside of PayPal’s 180-day window. In response, Dalfonzo accused her of “internet bullying” and blocked her from the company’s VIP Fb team, in accordance to the emails in between Arvallo and Dalfonzo.
“You filed PayPal statements on all of your orders so you have been blocked,” Dalfonzo wrote to Arvallo. “I question it is something either of us are upset about.”
The Better Enterprise Bureau, a non-governmental buyer safety group, has gained additional than 120 problems against Monkey Toes in the past year. The Improved Small business Bureau reached out to Monkey Ft in January seeking a reaction to the grievances but has not received a response, according to the Bureau’s website.
Warehouse proprietor files match
In January, the warehouse’s operator, PDJ LLC, sued to evict Monkey Ft, alleging the business had failed to pay back hire. The few unsuccessful to react to the go well with, and final thirty day period a judge dominated that Monkey Feet owed its landlord $255,000.
The court also identified that Monkey Feet had abandoned home in the warehouse, including “boxes of footwear.” PDJ LLC did not return a ask for for remark.
In November, Arvallo filed a report from Dalfonzo with the Collier County Sheriff’s Workplace for alleged theft. The agency has shut its investigation and referred the scenario to the FBI, media relations officer Michelle Batten explained to the Naples Each day Information. She recommended buyers with issues to file them with the FBI’s Web Crime Complaint Center.
Arvallo reported she hopes Dalfonzo will confront penalties for getting edge of her and other mothers.
“We just do not want this female to file personal bankruptcy and just get away with all this things,” Arvallo said.
