Lease Finance Group Northern Leasing Systems Business built on fraud Chicago, Illinois

Long story but like many of you we were sucked in by written quotes of substantial savings on credit card processing.  The rep was very believable and I trusted her and bought the program.  We have six locations and so the paperwork signing did not lend itself to inspection of the documents.  Only learned later, when the savings did not materialize on the credit card procesing, that it was a 4 year lease, not a 3 year as she had told me, and that there were several fees that were added monthly on top of the lease rate I was quoted.  And we were locked into a non-cancellable lease. 

I went back to our old processor and returned the machines and our nightmare began with two companies - Eliot Management Group and LFG.  Fortunately, I had closed our bank account so they couldn't withdraw funds but have since been in a monumental struggle with these people.  Finally settled with EMG but LFG is demanding $7000, saying I actually owe them $21, 000. 

My lawyer says I should settle since the venue for litigation is New York and it would be too expensive to hire a New York attorney to fight this but I am resisting.  These people make a living by conning and scamming small businesses then bullying them into paying exhorbitant cancellation fees.  They have a huge corporate machine built on power and intimidation, kind of like the Mafia, and I hate to roll over for them.  I am also very pissed off at myself for getting sucked in.  I still don't know how it happened, I am usually very careful about these things.

I would like to know if anyone has actually been to court with these people and what the result was.  I know I am on the hook for signing the contract, which they are only too happy to remind me at every opportunity, but there is a big issue of fraud here (Fraud in the Inducement in legal terms) and that is the defense I would argue. 

I have found an attorney in NY with experience in this area who is willing to take them on and at a reasonable rate.  Is an else out there interested in going in on this.  Perhaps we can countersue in a test case to see what the courts will rule on the fraud defense and other issues.

If so, please respond