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Illinois Attorney General sues shuttered Arlington Heights dog grooming school

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Wednesday against an Arlington Heights dog grooming school, charging it defrauded students out of more than $85,000.

Madigan's office said the lawsuit was filed against the since closed Academy of Dog Grooming Arts Ltd., 1742 W. Algonquin Road, as well as its owner and president, Sharron Panther and secretary, Mike Panther. Madigan's lawsuit seeks full refunds for students in addition to civil penalties.

The lawsuit claims the Panthers, who are married, misrepresented the school's qualifications to potential students when it operated without a permit necessary for students to obtain the appropriate certificate. The Panthers accepted applications, application fees, tuition fees, health care fees and equipment fees totaling more than $6,000 per student in some cases, and provided certificates for "Professional Groomer" and "Groomer's Assistant" without a permit, rendering the certificates worthless.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) ordered the school closed earlier this year. IBHE also ordered the Panthers to turn over all academic records, which they have not. Madigan's lawsuit seeks immediate turnover of student records in addition to full refunds of all money students paid and penalties.

"This school took advantage of students who paid thousands of dollars to pursue a career in animal grooming, but only received a worthless certificate," Madigan said.

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