Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF PROFESSIONS - TALENT AGENCIES
Respondent: LAWRENCE PESCE, D/B/A GOLD COAST TALENT AGENCY, INC.
Judges: LARRY J. SARTIN
Agency: Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Locations: Miami, Florida
Filed: Nov. 05, 2003
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Monday, January 5, 2004.
Latest Update: Nov. 18, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION:
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONS - TALENT AGENCIES PY bets
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION,
Petitioner,
v. Case No. 2002-010699
LAWRENCE PESCE D/B/A.
GOLD COAST TALENT AGENCY, INC.,
Respondent.
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ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner, DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
(Petitioner), files this Administrative Complaint before the Division of Professions - Talent
Agencies (Board), against Lawrence Pesce d/b/a Gold Coast Talent Agency, Inc. (Respondent),
and alleges:
1. Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the practice of talent
agencies, pursuant to section 20.165, Florida Statutes (2000), and chapters 455 and 468, Part VIL,
Florida Statutes.
2. At all times material hereto, Respondent Gold Coast Talent Agency, Inc., was
licensed in the State of Florida as a Talent Agency, license number TA 0000545.
3. Respondent’s address of record with the Department is 16499 NE. 19th Avenue,
Suite 103, Miami, FL 33162.
4. The Department has been unsuccessful in its diligence to determine Respondent’s
whereabouts.
GAOGCATalent Agents\AC's\TALENT AGENCY AC TEMPLATE doc
5. On or about October 4, 2002, Respondent corporation was administratively
dissolved for failure to file an annual report with the Secretary of State.
6. Section 468.403(4)(c), Florida Statutes, states that each application for a talent
agency license must include the street and number of the building or place where the talent
agency is to be located.
7. Section 468.403(9), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that any changes in
the application supplied to the department by the applicant must be submitted to the department
within 30 days after the date of such change.
8. Respondent has failed to notify the Department of its current location within 30
days of relocation and is no longer conducting business at its address of record, conduct that
violates section 468.403(9), Florida Statutes
9. Section 468.412(10), Florida Statutes, states that each talent agency must
maintain a permanent office and must maintain regular operating hours at that office.
10. | Respondent is no longer maintaining a permanent office with regular operating
hours, conduct that violates section 468.412(10), Florida Statutes.
IL. Section 468.406(2), Florida Statutes, states in pertinent part that all money
collected by a talent agency for the benefit of an artist shall be paid to the artist within 5 business
days after the receipt of such money.
12. Section 468.402(1)(e), Florida Statutes, prohibits a licensee from knowingly
committing or being a party to any material fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, conspiracy,
collusion, trick, scheme, or device whereby any other person lawfully relying upon the work,
representation, or conduct of the talent agency acts or has acted to his or her injury or damage.
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13. In or around March 2002, Respondent contracted with Caren Weinstein
(“Weinstein”) to perform for compensation. Weinstein’s work, which Respondent arranged,
included, but was not limited to, work performed on March 17, 2002, for Gulfstream Racetrack.
14. Respondent was duly paid by the employers for the work Weinstein performed.
15. To date, Respondent has not paid Weinstein the wages owed to her. Respondent
still owes Weinstein approximately $350.00. Respondent disconnected its phones and closed
shop without notifying Weinstein or providing her any forwarding information for future
contacts regarding the outstanding balance. This conduct of Respondent violates sections
468.406(2) and 468.402(1)(e), Florida Statutes.
16. Section 468.402(1)(p), Florida Statutes, provides that failure to perform any
statutory or legal obligation placed upon a licensed talent agency is a grounds for discipline.
17. Respondent’s violations of sections 468.403(4)(c), 468.403(9), 468.412(10),
468.406(2) and 468.402(1)(e), Florida Statutes, is conduct that violates section 468.402(1)(p),
Florida Statutes.
COUNT ONE
18. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through seventeen as though fully set forth herein.
19. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section 468.402(1)(e), Florida
Statutes.
COUNT TWO
20. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through seventeen as though fully set forth herein.
lu
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21. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section 468.406(2), Flonda Statutes.
COUNT THREE
22. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through seventeen as though fully set forth herein.
23. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section 468.402(1)(p), Florida
Statutes, when it violated section 468.412(10), Florida Statutes.
COUNT FOUR
24. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through seventeen as though fully set forth herein.
25. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section 468.402(1)(p), Florida
Statutes, when it violated section 468.406(2), Florida Statutes.
COUNT FIVE
26. Petitioner realleges and incorporates the allegations set forth in paragraphs one
through seventeen as though fully set forth herein.
27. Based on the foregoing, Respondent violated section 468.402(1)(p), Florida
Statutes, when it violated section 468.403(9), Florida Statutes.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests the Board enter an order imposing one or
more of the following penalties: revocation or suspension of Respondent's license, imposition of
an administrative fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) for each count or separate
offense, issuance of a reprimand, placement of Respondent on probation, restriction of
Respondent’s authorized scope of practice, assessment of costs associated with investigation and
prosecution, imposition of any or all penalties delineated within section 455.227(2), Florida
GAOGC Talent Agents\AC’s\TALENT AGENCY AC TEMPLATE.doc
Statutes, and/or any other relief that the Board is authorized to impose pursuant to chapters 455
and/or 468, Part VIL Florida Statutes, and/or the rules promulgated thereunder.
Signed this S ~_ day of t—~ 2003.
Smad
Gail Scott-Hill
Lead Professions Attorney
Counsel for the Departmegy¥. F | L E D
Charles Pellegrini Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Assistant General Counsel DEPUTY CLERK
Florida Bar No. 989274 .
Department of Business and CLERK Prardort Michele
Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street DATE _3-17- 2003
Tallahassee, FL 32399-2202
Telephone: (850) 414-6088
Facsimile: (850) 414-6749
GSH:CP/sch
Case No. 2002-010699
pcp: 3-S-~O3
Scott-Hill
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Docket for Case No: 03-004157PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Jan. 05, 2004 |
Order Closing File. CASE CLOSED.
|
Jan. 02, 2004 |
Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction (filed by Petitioner via facsimile).
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Nov. 17, 2003 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
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Nov. 17, 2003 |
Notice of Hearing (hearing set for January 15 and 16, 2004; 9:30 a.m.; Miami, FL).
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Nov. 14, 2003 |
Order of Consolidation. (consolidated cases are: 03-004100PL, 03-004101PL, 03-004148PL, 03-004149PL, 03-004150PL, 03-004151PL, 03-004152PL, 03-004153PL, 03-004154PL, 03-004155PL, 03-004156PL, 03-004157PL, 03-004158PL)
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Nov. 13, 2003 |
Petitioner`s Response to Initial Order (filed via facsimile).
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Nov. 10, 2003 |
Initial Order.
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Nov. 05, 2003 |
Respondent`s Answer filed.
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Nov. 05, 2003 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
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Nov. 05, 2003 |
Election of Rights filed.
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Nov. 05, 2003 |
Agency referral filed.
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