A judge ordered the bankrupt operator of New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts gyms to stop charging New York customers who submitted cancellation requests or whose primary gyms remain closed, WSJ Pro Bankruptcy reported. The ruling by Judge Debra A. James of the Supreme Court of New York came after New York’s attorney general filed a lawsuit last week accusing Town Sports International Holdings Inc. of charging monthly fees to customers despite coronavirus-related closures. “This order stops New York Sports Clubs and Lucille Roberts dead in their tracks and halts these health clubs from continuing to unlawfully charge many of their members,” Attorney General Letitia James said. James began investigating the gym operator’s billing practices in March when Town Sports didn’t freeze memberships after the state mandated fitness centers to shut down. Town Sports then resumed the charges on Sept. 1. As of last week, the attorney general’s office had received nearly 1,850 complaints about the company. A restraining order issued Friday has blocked the company from charging or attempting to charge any dues, fines or penalties to customers in New York who have submitted cancellation requests since March 16 and to those whose main gyms remain closed.
