An Incline Village man could not defend his business license last week because he was in Las Vegas pleading innocent to charges he bilked six investors out of $425,000.
Todd Surgeon, owner of Americana Leisure Products, can no longer operate that business in Washoe County after a public hearing before Washoe County commissioners.
"It's annoying," Surgeon said Thursday. "The Reno hearing was scheduled the same day as the hearing in Vegas. I can't be in two places at once."
Surgeon said his wife called the commissioners to ask for an extension on his business license since he couldn't attend the Washoe County hearing.
Despite not being allowed to operate his spa business, Surgeon plans to go ahead with other business ventures.
"I'm going forward with my seminars," Surgeon said.
Legal troubles with his spa business followed Surgeon to Incline Village from Medford, Ore.
In Oregon, Medford police alleged he took money from two customers for hot tubs he didn't deliver.
Two judgments totaling $65,000 were also filed against Surgeon in Medford before he moved to Incline last year.
Five people won judgments against Surgeon totaling more than $12,000 in Incline Justice Court earlier this month.
Tuesday Surgeon was in Las Vegas at a state hearing where he pleaded innocent to charges alleging he bilked six investors out of $425,000.
But in Reno, Washoe County commissioners agreed there was enough evidence stacked against Surgeon to permanently revoke his business license.
"The decision was based on a preponderance of evidence," said Jim Galloway, county commissioner. "The preponderance was that the improper business activities he conducted were to take money without delivering a product."
But even though Surgeon's license is revoked, there's still a possibility he can hold his marketing strategy seminars in Washoe County.
County officials said he can apply for a one-time event sales permit that would allow him to run a seminar.
Surgeon has maintained he would use the money he makes from the marketing seminars to pay off his debts to his customers.
