Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced a lawsuit against Richard Young, doing business as Young’s Outdoor Solutions, for violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (ADTPA). The suit alleges that Young advertised and accepted money from consumers to install in-ground swimming pools, which he failed to complete, ultimately costing homeowners more than $430,000. Young also outsourced work to—yet failed to pay—subcontractors, resulting in collection letters and liens on the homes of consumers who had hired Young to build their pools.
“Young solicited contracts from hard-working consumers, only to take their money and run,” said Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “Now these consumers are left with unsightly and dangerous holes in their backyards.”
Attorney General Rutledge’s lawsuit filed in Pulaski County alleges that Young knowingly made false representations to consumers, promising to install an in-ground pool; however, as soon as consumers paid him a substantial amount of the contract price, Young stopped work on the projects, giving multiple consumers the same excuses as to why he did not complete the work. When consumers asked for reimbursement, Young promised to refund the payments, only to offer excuses or hot checks to consumers.
Attorney General Rutledge is requesting those who believe they have been harmed by Richard Young or Young’s Outdoor Solutions to file a consumer complaint with the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office by calling (800) 482-8982, email [email protected] or visit ArkansasAG.gov.
About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year, and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves on committees for Consumer Protection, Criminal Law and Veterans Affairs for the National Association of Attorneys General. She also served as the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.