Tax debt settlement company ordered to pay more than $4 million to consumers, State
Wall & Associates must refund $2.7 million to consumers it deceived, pay $1.4 million to State in civil penalties
Order follows 2024 trial victory where Court found company “inflicted significant injury upon hundreds of Minnesota consumers”
Company’s owner ordered to pay $415k, CEO ordered to pay $207k; Wall will also be required to pay Attorney General’s fees and costs
April 16, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Yesterday, a Hennepin County court ordered Virginia-based tax debt settlement company Wall & Associates, Inc. (Wall), along with its owner and CEO, to refund hundreds of Minnesotans more than $2.7 million in fees after defrauding them into signing up for its services. In addition to full refunds for 224 Minnesotans, the court ordered Defendants to pay civil penalties to the State of Minnesota of more than $1.4 million for the Defendants’ egregious conduct, including ordering Wall’s owner, Ken Wall, to pay $415,500 and Wall’s CEO, Mark Yates, to pay $207,750.
The order follows a ruling from last fall finding Wall liable for falsely representing that it was a local law firm that settled its average client’s tax debt for 10% of what they owed. Many consumers testified that this was key to their decision to hire Wall. In truth, most Minnesota consumers paid more in fees than they received in tax reduction. The court ultimately found that defendants’ conduct “inflicted significant injury upon hundreds of Minnesota consumers.”
The court also found Wall’s owner and CEO were personally liable for their involvement in the scheme. In addition to restitution and civil penalties, the court entered an injunction that requires the Defendants to permanently stop their deceptive practices in Minesota. The court also granted the Attorney General’s request for attorneys’ fees and costs, which will be determined later.
“I hope this multi-million-dollar judgment serves as a warning to scammers everywhere: I will not hesitate to sue you, take you to trial, and make you quite literally pay if you cheat the people of Minnesota,” said Attorney General Ellison. “It is truly despicable that Wall & Associates was deceiving and defrauding folks who were already struggling financially. I am pleased to have held them accountable and pleased to be putting money back in the pockets of people who were cheated. I encourage any Minnesotan who believes they were the victim of a scam to file a complaint with my office. Your speaking up could help us catch the person who scammed you and prevent someone else from falling victim in the future.”
The Attorney General urges the public to be aware of companies that prey on people in tax or consumer debt. For information about tax debt settlement companies, visit the Office’s online publication titled Tax Relief Scams. Consumers in Minnesota who believe they are a victim of a scam or were deceived or misled by an unscrupulous company are encouraged to file a report with the Attorney General’s Office. The office can also be contacted at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area) or (800) 657-3787 (Greater Minnesota).
