West Chester Business' Fraudulent Apparel Leads To $10K Settlement: Attorney General

WEST CHESTER, PA -- Internet crowdfunding backfired on the West Chester business whose shirts were supposed to change color with body temperature - but didn't.

Radiate Athletics has to pay civil penalties and fees of $10,000 to the state as part of a settlement deal, Attorney General Josh Shapiro's office said on Monday.

Radiate's founder, Kenneth E. Crockett Jr.,must also pay restitution to all customers who received defective shirts, officials said. The restitution totals $2,437.

“This settlement with Radiate is about protecting consumers from scams, no matter the dollar amount,” Shapiro said in a statement. “We’ll fight to protect consumers ripped off over a $35 shirt just as we held Volkswagen liable for $30 million in environmental damages.”

Radiate raised $579,000 from more than 8,000 customers during a Kickstarter campaign, Shapiro said.

Consumers alleged "almost immediately" that they either had not received the shirts as promised, or that the shirts were faulty.

“I was surprised at how quickly the campaign was getting traction and due to how much the goal was exceeded, it seemed more likely to be valid and a good product moving forward,” said Josef Oggier of Mechanicsburg. “For a while we were getting updates, but then deadline after deadline was missed and then we just stopped hearing from Kenny [Crockett].”

Any other consumers who believe they may have been ripped off by Radiate need to submit complaints by June 2 in order to receive restitution. Email scams@attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-800-441-2555 to request a complaint form.

Patch file photo