Notorious businessman Gerasimos ‘Jerry’ Lord ordered to pay $37,000 compensation

A notorious businessman has been forced to cough up thousands of dollars in compensation after he charged customers for furniture that never arrived — almost a decade after he was whacked for selling ‘killer’ spas.

A notorious businessman has been forced to pay more than $37,000 in compensation after he charged thousands of dollars for furniture that never arrived — almost a decade after he was whacked for selling ‘killer’ spas.

Gerasimos “Jerry” Lord was convicted in Parramatta Local Court this year and sentenced to a 15-month community corrections order for breaching Australian Consumer Law 10 times, after an investigation found he accepted payment for goods but failed to supply them.

Lord’s business, Gallery Furniture Pty Ltd, failed to deliver furniture including a $4499 timber cabinet, $3596 dining chairs and a marble side table priced at $450.

Lord was ordered by the court to pay $37,683 in compensation to seven consumers, while number of other customers who did not receive their purchases gained refunds through credit card chargebacks.

The penalty comes almost a decade after Lord and his brother were ordered by the same court to pay $18,000 in fines and almost $46,000 in compensation for selling dodgy spas, saunas and outdoor furniture.

Gerasimos ‘Jerry’ Lord failed to deliver furniture people had paid for. Picture: Facebook

According to the penalty at the time, Lord failed to deliver potentially lethal spas to customers in Wagga Wagga, Penrith, Forbes and other states after asking for 70 per cent deposits.

Then Fair Trading commissioner Rod Stowe warned the public not to deal with Lord or his businesses.

Open Close It Pty Ltd and Nick Paxinos were also fined. Picture: Facebook

Fair Trading has recently taken action against a number of other individuals, including Milano Republic director Branislav Supa, who was prosecuted for seven offences in December for accepting payments without supplying goods within a reasonable time or at all.

In Parramatta Local Court, Supa was fined $2000 and ordered to pay $5621 in compensation to affected customers.

Nicholas Paxinos and Open Close It Pty Ltd – trading under the name Shutters Quickly – were also convicted in December for similar offences.

Paxinos was fined $5000 and ordered to pay more than $20,000 in compensation, while Open Close It Pty Ltd was fined $5400 and ordered to pay $2100 in compensation to customers.

Fair Trading Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said businesses who wanted to rip off customers would find themselves in court.

“NSW Fair Trading will prosecute businesses who take the money and don’t deliver,” he said.

“There is nothing more frustrating than spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on furniture and going months without seeing your purchase arrive.”

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Originally published as Notorious businessman Gerasimos ‘Jerry’ Lord ordered to pay $37,000 compensation