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Hospice Says Charity Auction Offer Was a Rook

PALM BEACH, Fla. (CN) - A charity claims in court that it was left holding the bag when a nonprofit failed to deliver on Grammy tickets auctioned off to a couple for $12,000.

The Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation says that it received an email inquiry about auctioning off tickets to the 2012 Grammy Awards.

Jazz for Life allegedly offered to donate the tickets and cover certain costs, such airfare and a hotel for the auction winners, in exchange for half the auction proceeds.

The hospice says it auctioned the tickets to the Charbonneaus for $12,000, but Jazz for Life employee Kevin Wright declined to produce the tickets in advance for "security reasons."

"In lieu of sending the actual tickets to Mr. and Mrs. Charbonneau, Jazz for Life would send an official invitation and once Mr. and Mrs. Charbonneau arrived in Los Angeles they would receive the tickets from [Jazz for Life founder Ski] Johnson.

"On December 29, 2011, hospice sent a check to Jazz for Life for $5,500 representing its portion of the net ticket proceeds.

"On December 30, 2011, Mr. Wright made hotel reservations at the Marriott Hotel in Century City using Lauryn Barry's Hospice credit card. However, the charge on the credit card was to Jazz for Life and when Ms. Barry inquired about it, Mr. Wright confirmed that it was in fact a charge for the Marriott Hotel in Century City.

"On February 12, 2012, approximately 9:45 P.M., Ms. Barry received a call from Mrs. Charbonneau expressing her disappointment, as although she did ride in a limousine and walk the red carpet with Johnson, she did not receive tickets to the Grammy Awards from him as promised and therefore, did not attend the event.

"On February 13, 2012, Mrs. Charbonneau contacted Ms. Barry and advised her that she was charged for their hotel room at the Marriott in Century City. The $804 charged to Ms. Barry's credit card by Jazz for Life was not used for this expense as represented by Mr. Wright.

Claiming that it had to repay the Charbonneaus their $12,000, the hospice $15,000 from Jazz for Life, Wright and Johnson.

The complaint alleges breach of contract, fraud and violations of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. The foundation is represented by Russell Kerr.

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