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Florist facing charges for scamming dozens of brides for not showing up, canceling on wedding days

HAMILTON COUNTY, OHIO — A florist in Greene County, Ohio, is facing charges for scamming dozens of brides for not showing up or canceling on their wedding days.

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Desiree Pace, 40, was arrested on Jan. 30, according to Hamiton County jail records obtained by WHIO.

She was indicted in October for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft and telecommunications fraud, according to Hamilton County Commons Pleas Court records obtained by WHIO. Pace reportedly pleaded not guilty to those charges later that month.

According to WHIO, dozens of people had filed complaints with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office about Pace and her business, Flowers by Des, in July 2021. Dozens of complaints came from a variety of Ohio counties including Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Hamilton, Warren, Brown, Butler, Fairfield, and Franklin counties. The complainants reportedly shared stories that they paid for flowers and either did not get them or their money back.

In September 2021, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced that a civil lawsuit was filed against Pace and it claimed that she violated the Consumer Sales Practices Act and reportedly ripped off 48 people. The state of Ohio won the case in June 2022 and Pace was ordered to pay $104,000 and stop doing business, according to WHIO.

Pace is facing charges in connection with accusations of ripping people off, according to WHIO. In court records, Pace allegedly stole about $31,509 from 28 people that were contracted her business between Aug. 2019 and June 2021.

Pace is currently being held on a $50,000 bond. According to online jail records obtained by WHIO, she is expected to appear in court on Feb. 15.

No further information has been released.