Complaint Review: The Dibernardo Group

Performed work on a logo for The Dibernardo Group. The contact, a Brandon Collins (bctransition@gmail.com, no longer in service) appears to have taken the concept drawings and removed the watermark, and changed the font. The graphical image of the eagle appeared untouched. The logo subsequently appeared on The Dibernardo Group website (http://www.dibernardogroup.com, also defunct). No payment was recieved for the work.

Subsequent emails to Michael Dibernardo (michael@dibernardogroup.com, also defunct) proved fruitless, with no response recieved after 5/11/09. He did acknowledge that there might be a problem with one of his designers, as pasted below:

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From: di Bernardo, Michael [mailto:michael@dibernardogroup.com]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 5:01 AM
To: Kyle XXXXXXXX
Cc: legal@dibernardogroup.com
Subject: Re: Overdue Invoice

Hi Kyle,
Thank you for your email. You never delivered the original design files? I am trying to look into this matter as it may involve terminating one of our graphic designers if you have a copyright on the work (though we have a pending trademark, first use, and original files). Please advise on the status of what you're saying are your original design files, and if you have a non-original copy that was designed for us that is apparently the same (?) as the logo that we're using, please send it so that this matter can be taken care of expediently. Thanks.

Michael
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Also note that a company associated with The Dibernardo Group, Trapeze Publications, also dropped off the face of the earth at the same time.

The company has again started up as:

DiBernardo & Associates
e-mail: mediainquiries@dibernardoassociates.com
voice: (800) 921-0024 x10
international voice: (646) 395-9557 x10
fascimile: (646) 395-9565

Media Relations for Brandon DiBernardo
e-mail: pr@brandondibernardo.com
voice and fascimile: +1 (212) 500-3371

with a Brandon DiBernardo (coincidence?) as the CEO, and has "aquired" Trapeze Publications (also coincidence?). My eagle image also appears in their logo. I'm Pissed.

Kyle
Conowingo, Maryland
U.S.A.