$600,000 in Penalties Sought : State Sues L.A. Publisher Over Reunion Directories

A Los Angeles publisher, Winthrop Scott & Co. Inc., was sued for at least $600,000 in civil penalties Wednesday by the state attorney general’s office for purportedly reneging on promises to prepare free church and reunion group directories.

The civil suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court accuses the company of falsely promising, then failing to deliver free pictorial directories to churches or other groups that urge members to sit for portraits.

The company legally profited from sales of portraits to the members, Deputy Atty. Gen. Jerry Smilowitz indicated, but illegally took advantage of the church leaders’ help in persuading members to participate and in scheduling appointments.

Free Directories

When profits fell short of company expectations, the prosecutor claimed, the company failed to produce or deliver the free directories.

According to the suit, churches in 39 California cities, including Los Angeles, Santa Ana and San Diego, and six other states were victimized.

Smilowitz said the company similarly failed to deliver promised pictorial reunion booklets after it obtained assistance in arranging to photograph members of high school classes planning reunions.

Also named as defendants were the company’s president, Al Hechinger, and Winthrop subsidiaries Color-Pak, Churchill Publications Ltd. and Jeffrey’s.

No representative of the defendants could be located for comment on the suit.