JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Prominent Jacksonville entrepreneur Janay White, who serves as the CEO of eight businesses, including the J. White Business Center and a network of 50 Airbnbs, is facing fraud allegations. Investors have filed lawsuits, claiming they fell victim to what they describe as bad business practices.
The Dispute
Rayvon Griffin, one of the investors, describes her experience with Janay White as deeply disappointing, alleging she was scammed for over $10,000 due to what she believes are White's bad business practices. Griffin, a silent partner, explains that several investors were led to believe they would receive properties for renovation and sale, but these promises remained unfulfilled. According to Griffin, Janay White is skilled at avoiding questions and concerns, which prompted her to take legal action. Griffin says, "She's good at avoiding things and questions, that's when I realized I had to take a step back."
Conflicting Accounts
In response to the allegations, Janay White denies scamming her clients. White characterizes this situation as part of the challenging side of business investments and states that such issues can occur when investing.
A Facebook group with over 9,400 members was created to raise awareness of the alleged scam. However, White disputes the claim that she knows such a vast number of people, suggesting that some statements are inaccurate.
White says, "I don't even know that many people that's impossible."
Jacksonville attorney Chris Dempsey is representing the investors, and he believes that Griffin's case might be just the tip of the iceberg, with well over $200,000 potentially scammed from investors.
Rayvon Griffin was financially stable enough to bounce back, but she acknowledges that some investors lost everything. She spoke to individuals who gave White their last savings, believing in her business practices.
Janay White stands her ground, emphasizing that she does not want a few complaints to diminish her positive contributions to the community. She expresses her desire to tell her side of the story, which she believes has not been fully heard.
Upcoming Court Date
A court date for this legal dispute is set for Dec. 4, and further developments will be reported as the case progresses.
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