Case 1:12-cv-01541-VM Document 50 Filed 07/02/12 Page 1 of 82 Case 1:12-cv-01541-VM Document 50 Filed 07/02/12 Page 2 of 82 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE I. NATURE OF THE ACTION ........................................................................................... 1 II. PARTIES .......................................................................................................................... 3 III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE ...................................................................................... 5 IV. FACTS COMMON TO ALL CAUSES OF ACTION .................................................... 5 A. The QuickTrim Weight Loss System ....................................................................... 5 B. Unsubstantiated Claims Of Safety And Efficacy ...................................................... 7 C. The Kardashian Sisters’ Marketing And Promotion Of QuickTrim ....................... 10 1. The Kardashians’ Pre-Launch Announcements ...............................................12 2. The September 21, 2009 Life & Style Cover Story .........................................15 3. The October 16, 2009 Launch At The GNC Store In Hollywood ...................16 4. Print Advertisements ........................................................................................16 5. Television Appearances ...................................................................................26 6. Twitter Advertisements ....................................................................................29 D. QuickTrim Products Are Illegally Distributed And Misbranded Under Federal Law ................................................................................................. 35 E. Windmill’s Role ...................................................................................................... 36 F. QuickTrim LLC And Mr. Tisi’s Role ..................................................................... 37 G. GNC’s Role ............................................................................................................. 38 V. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING CLASS REPRESENTATIVES ........... 38 A. Andeia Cowan’s Purchase Of QuickTrim .............................................................. 38 B. Luis Shepherd’s Purchase Of QuickTrim ............................................................... 39 C. Holly Viola’s Purchase Of QuickTrim ................................................................... 40 D. Alexsandra Cerda’s Purchase Of QuickTrim ......................................................... 41 E. Cynthia Hogan’s Purchase of QuickTrim ............................................................... 41 F. Debbie Vongphachanh’s Purchase Of QuickTrim .................................................. 42 G. Tebytha Chan’s Purchase Of QuickTrim ................................................................ 43 H. LaVada Fallon’s Purchase Of QuickTrim .............................................................. 43 I. Elizabeth Freedman’s Purchase Of QuickTrim ....................................................... 44 VI. CLASS REPRESENTATION ALLEGATIONS ........................................................... 45 COUNT I: Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2301, et seq. ........................................................................................ 47 i Case 1:12-cv-01541-VM Document 50 Filed 07/02/12 Page 3 of 82 STATE LAW COUNTS ......................................................................................................... 48 CALIFORNIA ........................................................................................................................ 48 COUNT II: Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Calif. Civil Code §§ 1750, et. seq. ......................................................................... 48 COUNT III: Unfair Competition Law, Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 17200 et seq. ....................................................................... 49 COUNT IV: False Advertising Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17500 et seq. .................................................................. 50 COUNT V: Breach of Express Warranty, Cal. Com. Code § 2313 .......................................................................................... 51 COUNT VI: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, Cal. Com. Code § 2314 .......................................................................................... 52 COUNT VII: Unjust Enrichment ................................................................................... 53 COLORADO .......................................................................................................................... 54 COUNT VIII: Colorado Consumer Protection Act, Col. Rev. Stat. § 6-1-101 et seq. ............................................................................. 54 COUNT IX: Breach of Express Warranty, Col. Rev. Stat. § 4-2-313 ........................................................................................ 56 COUNT X: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, Col. Rev. Stat. § 4-2-314 ........................................................................................ 57 COUNT XI: Breach of Common Law Warranty ........................................................... 58 FLORIDA ............................................................................................................................... 59 COUNT XII: Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Fla. Stat. §501.201 et seq.. ..................................................................................... 59 COUNT XIII: Breach of Express Warranty, Fla. Stat. § 672.313 ................................. 60 COUNT XIV: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, Fla. Stat. § 672.314 ................................................................................................. 61 COUNT XV: Breach of Contract/Common Law Warranty .......................................... 63 ILLINOIS ................................................................................................................................ 63 COUNT XVI: Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, 815 Ill. Comp. Stat. 505/1, et seq. and 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 295/1A ............................................................................................................ 63 COUNT XVII: Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, 815 Ill. Comp. Stat. 510/1, et seq. and 720 Ill. Comp. Stat. 295/1A ...................... 64 COUNT XVIII: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, 810 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/2-314, and 810 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/2A-212 .......................... 65 ii Case 1:12-cv-01541-VM Document 50 Filed 07/02/12 Page 4 of 82 COUNT XIX: Breach of Express Warranty, 810 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/2-313 ................................................................................... 67 COUNT XX: Breach of Contract .................................................................................. 67 NEVADA ................................................................................................................................ 68 COUNT XXI: Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act, Nev. Rev. Stat. §598.0903 et seq. .......................................................................... 68 COUNT XXII: Breach of Express Warranty, Nev. Rev. Stat. §104.2313 ...................................................................................... 69 COUNT XXIII: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, Nev. Rev. Stat. §104.2314 ...................................................................................... 70 COUNT XXIV: Breach of Contract/Common Law Warranty ...................................... 72 COUNT XXV: Breach of Implied Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing ................................................................................................................... 72 NEW YORK ........................................................................................................................... 73 COUNT XXVI: Deceptive Acts or Practices, New York Gen. Bus. Law § 349 ............................................................................ 73 COUNT XXVII: Breach of Express Warranty, N.Y. U.C.C.§ 2-313 ................................................................................................ 74 COUNT XXVIII: Breach of Implied Warranty of Merchantability, N.Y. U.C.C. § 2-314 ............................................................................................... 75 COUNT XXIX: Breach of Contract/Common Law Warranty ...................................... 76 VII. RELIEF DEMANDED ................................................................................................. 77 VIII. JURY TRIAL DEMANDED ....................................................................................... 78 iii Case 1:12-cv-01541-VM Document 50 Filed 07/02/12 Page 5 of 82 Plaintiffs Andeia Cowan, Luis Shepherd, Holly Viola, Alexsandra Cerda, Cynthia Hogan, Debbie Vongphachanh, Tebytha Chan, LaVada Fallon, and Elizabeth Freedman, by and through their attorneys, make the following allegations pursuant to the investigation of their counsel and based upon information and belief, except as to allegations specifically pertaining to themselves and their counsel, which are based on personal knowledge. NATURE OF THE ACTION 1. This is a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers the QuickTrim Weight Loss System and its component products (“QuickTrim”), which is marketed by the Defendants as a clinically proven