As some of you undoubtedly know, there is no more decent person in the world than Ken Peters of Glenshaw, PA. I have known Ken for years and he’s among the best and most reputable people on AZBilliards.
As many of you know, I am a civil litigation attorney. I sue individuals and entities for a living. Ken asked me to assist him involving a horrific experience is having dealing with Pete Tonkin for a few years now. In an email sent on 6/18/23, Ken told me the following facts:
1. Sometime around 2016, Ken purchased two cues from Tonkin. Tonkin contacted Ken and told him that had an ebony cue he had started and would finish for him. When Ken told him he did not have enough money to purchase the cue, Tonkin told Ken he could pay him $400 a month and represented that the cue would be done soon and would be shipped before Ken finished making all the payments because Tonkin trusted him.
2. After about 2 years of payments and no cue (sometime in 2018), Tonkin contacted Ken and said he had a beautiful piece of snakewood and wanted to make a cue out of it for Ken. Tonkin represented to Ken that he would continue to accept the $400 monthly payments and would finish the two cues soon.
3. After another year of payments and no cues, Tonkin contacted Ken again and said he wanted to give him a chance to acquire one of his 20th Anniversary Cues for $18,000. Tonkin said he would credit the approximately $14,000 that Ken had already paid for the two cues that were never delivered, as promised, and apply the $14,000 towards the 20th Anniversary Cue. At that time, Tonkin represented to Ken that the 20th Anniversary Cue would be done soon.
4. Ken sent Tonkin the last $400 payment, for a total of $18,000, on February 13, 2020. Since that time, Tonkin has made many promises to finish and ship the cue, but has breached every promise, making up excuses at every turn. Ken has contacted Tonkin every month or two asking about his 20th Anniversary Cue. Every time Tonkin responds, which is very rare these days, he represents that the cue will be done in about a month and promises to email progress pics. Ken does not have the cue and never got the promised progress photos.
On 6/19/23, I forwarded Ken’s email of 6/18/23 to Tonkin and told him that I was going to sue him for Ken in Pennsylvania and assert claims for breach of contract, fraud and violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (the “Act”), and even emailed a copy of the Act to Tonkin. I told Tonkin that Ken will seek an award of punitive damages and reasonable attorney’s fees under the Act. At no time has Tonkin disputed any of the facts contained in paragraphs 1-4 above.
On 6/21/23, Tonkin sent me an email, stating, in relevant part, that: “I am working on Ken[’]s cue and the last time he contacted me he told me not to respond back to him so did not respond. His cue will be done in the next 30 days.” In a 6/23/23 email, Tonkin promised as follows: “I’ll have the cue finished and shipped by 8/1/23 and [w]ill also send you progress pictures in the next few weeks.” Tonkin did email me five progress photos on 7/15/23, but failed to deliver Ken’s 20th Anniversary Cue by 8/1/23. Now he is not responding to any of my emails.
Two days ago (8/4), I emailed Tonkin a draft of this post and told him it would be posted today (8/6) at 7:00 p.m Eastern Time if he did not email me more promised progress photos of Ken’s cue. Naturally, he failed to respond to me so I’m posting this now.
Anyone who gives Tonkin any money before they receive a cue from him is crazy and need to have their brain examined. The man cannot be trusted. His word is worth crap. I’m posting this as a public service so that folks who are thinking of doing business with Tonkin are well informed that they might get ripped off and lied to. I have one of his 15th Anniversary Cues right now for sale on AZ for $8,000. This post is not in my best interest with regard to that sale, but I don’t care because this story needs to be told and go public.
Kent is going to meet with a Glenshaw, PA detective that he knows in the next day or two to file a criminal complaint for theft by deception. Given the $18,000 involved here, I have to believe that this is a felony charge. If law enforcement refuses to prosecute Tonkin, Ken will be suing him in PA. I will update you all is this situation unfolds.
As many of you know, I am a civil litigation attorney. I sue individuals and entities for a living. Ken asked me to assist him involving a horrific experience is having dealing with Pete Tonkin for a few years now. In an email sent on 6/18/23, Ken told me the following facts:
1. Sometime around 2016, Ken purchased two cues from Tonkin. Tonkin contacted Ken and told him that had an ebony cue he had started and would finish for him. When Ken told him he did not have enough money to purchase the cue, Tonkin told Ken he could pay him $400 a month and represented that the cue would be done soon and would be shipped before Ken finished making all the payments because Tonkin trusted him.
2. After about 2 years of payments and no cue (sometime in 2018), Tonkin contacted Ken and said he had a beautiful piece of snakewood and wanted to make a cue out of it for Ken. Tonkin represented to Ken that he would continue to accept the $400 monthly payments and would finish the two cues soon.
3. After another year of payments and no cues, Tonkin contacted Ken again and said he wanted to give him a chance to acquire one of his 20th Anniversary Cues for $18,000. Tonkin said he would credit the approximately $14,000 that Ken had already paid for the two cues that were never delivered, as promised, and apply the $14,000 towards the 20th Anniversary Cue. At that time, Tonkin represented to Ken that the 20th Anniversary Cue would be done soon.
4. Ken sent Tonkin the last $400 payment, for a total of $18,000, on February 13, 2020. Since that time, Tonkin has made many promises to finish and ship the cue, but has breached every promise, making up excuses at every turn. Ken has contacted Tonkin every month or two asking about his 20th Anniversary Cue. Every time Tonkin responds, which is very rare these days, he represents that the cue will be done in about a month and promises to email progress pics. Ken does not have the cue and never got the promised progress photos.
On 6/19/23, I forwarded Ken’s email of 6/18/23 to Tonkin and told him that I was going to sue him for Ken in Pennsylvania and assert claims for breach of contract, fraud and violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (the “Act”), and even emailed a copy of the Act to Tonkin. I told Tonkin that Ken will seek an award of punitive damages and reasonable attorney’s fees under the Act. At no time has Tonkin disputed any of the facts contained in paragraphs 1-4 above.
On 6/21/23, Tonkin sent me an email, stating, in relevant part, that: “I am working on Ken[’]s cue and the last time he contacted me he told me not to respond back to him so did not respond. His cue will be done in the next 30 days.” In a 6/23/23 email, Tonkin promised as follows: “I’ll have the cue finished and shipped by 8/1/23 and [w]ill also send you progress pictures in the next few weeks.” Tonkin did email me five progress photos on 7/15/23, but failed to deliver Ken’s 20th Anniversary Cue by 8/1/23. Now he is not responding to any of my emails.
Two days ago (8/4), I emailed Tonkin a draft of this post and told him it would be posted today (8/6) at 7:00 p.m Eastern Time if he did not email me more promised progress photos of Ken’s cue. Naturally, he failed to respond to me so I’m posting this now.
Anyone who gives Tonkin any money before they receive a cue from him is crazy and need to have their brain examined. The man cannot be trusted. His word is worth crap. I’m posting this as a public service so that folks who are thinking of doing business with Tonkin are well informed that they might get ripped off and lied to. I have one of his 15th Anniversary Cues right now for sale on AZ for $8,000. This post is not in my best interest with regard to that sale, but I don’t care because this story needs to be told and go public.
Kent is going to meet with a Glenshaw, PA detective that he knows in the next day or two to file a criminal complaint for theft by deception. Given the $18,000 involved here, I have to believe that this is a felony charge. If law enforcement refuses to prosecute Tonkin, Ken will be suing him in PA. I will update you all is this situation unfolds.
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