LTV Removals - Manuel Rojas Extortion and Refusal to Release Belongings Miami, Florida

We hired LTV Removals to move my belongings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Europe. I paid over $12,000 for complete door-to-door service. However, after my container arrived to Rotterdam it was taken out of port, without my authorization or customs clearance, by Reliable Moving, a company sub-contracted by LTV Removals and was unloaded into their warehouse. Manuel Rojas at LTV Removals explained that this was for economical reasons and that storage at the port was very expensive, as well as our container had to be taken out of the port within a certain amount after arriving (approximately 2-3 weeks). However, we contacted the customs authorities at the port of Rotterdam and they explained that this was in fact not necessary and that it could have remained in storage at the port. When we tried to have our belongings taken out of Reliable Movings warehouse they (Roy Monfils) stated that we had to pay additional fees of his (port fees, expenses, etc.) When we received the bill it was for over 5,000 euros (over $7,500 USD), of which 2,500 was just for handling fees to move our container to Reliable Movings warehouse and unload everything. We never authorized Reliable Moving to remove our container from customs and specifically told him not to take it from the port. However, Roy Monfils did this anyway and charged us an outrageous amount for something we did not authorize him to do and explicitly told him not to do. We did not agree with this bill, but Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) stated that we would not get our belongings until we paid him. Consequently, we agreed to pay his outrageous invoice so that we could have all of our personal belongings (and our life) back. After we agreed to pay this outrageous amount Roy Monfils came back to us and said that he wanted a "letter of excuses" as he felt we were bad mouthing him and LTV Removals. We didn't agree but wanted our belongings so we told him that we will pay his bill and send him a letter of excuses per his demand. He then came back again said that even with the payment and letter of excuses that he would still not release our container until we signed a letter of indemnification that would release Reliable Moving and LTV Removals from any liability for any lost, stolen or damaged goods. This letter would also prevent us from suing either company. Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) also threatened to charge us 350 euros per hour for additional expenses to discuss with us any further issues whether by email or phone. Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) has opened our boxes in his warehouse and has now threatened us for the second time that he will begin selling our belongings to compensate for his outrageous invoice. Not only is this completely immoral and unethical, but illegal as our items have still not cleared customs to this day, and not one box can be legally opened until clearance from customs has occurred. We have also found out that we are not the only victims of extortion and blackmail by LTV Removals and Reliable Moving. To be honest, we are not even sure if our belongings are complete as was the case with one family who did not receive all of their belongings and even received boxes that belonged to someone else and this issue was never resolved by the moving company. Additionally, our insurance policy expires 90 days after our container arrives to the port. It has been now 1 months. If things continue this way we will not get our container until after the expiration of our insurance policy. This is very convenient for the insurance company, who now will not even talk with us and said that this is not an insurance matter and will not discuss things further. However, I am sure that the insurance company (which is very odd as well as they have contact numbers in Israel, California and Washington) is involved in the scam as well, because at the beginning of everything the insurance agent tried to play the role of the wise man and kind person who would help us. Unfortunately, this wasnt true and he just wanted us to pay the outrageous invoice, continue this extortion and to meet any and all demands of Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) and Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) regardless of what they were. When all of this began the two companies played the good cop, bad cop game, Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) being the good cop and Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) being the bad cop. Manuel Rojas even stated that Roy Monfils was curt and could be difficult to work with. However, he also mentioned that he had worked with him for the last 10 years. If someone is so difficult to work with why do you continue to work with them? It is not as though they are the only moving company in the Netherlands. This was all planned from the beginning. The proof is that we have agreed to pay their outrageous bill (5,000 euros = $7,500), on top of the $12,000 we paid for our door-to-door move, and they have still not sent us a professional bill that shows a breakdown of the costs and pricing. We have not had any news back from them and the new moving company we hired to complete the job is still waiting as Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) refuses to hand our belongings over to them even if we pay. WHY? We have asked Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) to send us a revised bill for the charges of Reliable Moving (minus the amount that was to be paid to Reliable moving to take our container from the port and unload it into our home) which we still have not received. In fact, Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) has not even responded to this email. Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) and Roy Monfils (Reliable Moving) have no respect for people, their clients or even the law. We know today (after researching both companies) that we are not the only ones and that this is not an isolated case. We believe that many of these moving companies have a scam as a business model and it is no longer possible to trust them anymore. Complaints regarding both companies, with similar situations, can easily be found online, as well as similar situations with other moving companies. This is not the first time Reliable Moving has held someones container hostage and this is not the first time LTV Removals has conducted themselves in an unethical and immoral manner. The way they conduct their company is an example in itself: 1. Manuel Rojas continues to work with a company (Reliable Moving) that is unethical, commits illegal actions and threatens their clients when they dont submit to his will. 2. LTV Removals employs Helen Shany, who was the owner of Uniworld Cargo in New Jersey, who had her license revoked and was sued for $5 Million 3. LTV Removals appears to be employing illegal immigrants as none of the employees who packaged our belongings could speak any English. Finally, as I mentioned above I am willing to pay this outrageous invoice on the condition that my belongings are released to our new moving company upon receipt of payment. With this, everything can be resolved today and everyone can go back to their normal lives. Obviously this is not the prerogative for individuals whose motive is to kidnap containers and extortion people. Also, refusing to return to us our own belongings even upon payment means that there are only two possible scenarios: 1. They transported illegal items in our container, which is why they took the container out of customs, unloaded everything into their warehouse and opened our boxes. 2. Their intent from the beginning was to steal our belongings using their bonded warehouse as an excuse and a shield. How long will it take before the authorities to conduct an inspection of this warehouse? In addition, as I mentioned before Manuel Rojas (LTV Removals) has not sent me a revised bill and has not even responded to this email. I think that this action speaks more than enough for itself. LTV Removals and Reliable Moving have no desire or inclination to return our belongings to us. They have basically STOLEN our entire household, all of our belongings, and essentially our lives. We will continue to fight, continue to file reports with the appropriate authorities and agencies, and file reports with the associations that LTV Removals and Reliable Moving belong to. We will report all of the people who are involved in this crime and stop further crimes from happening to more people and we will not stop until this issue is resolved and these criminals are out of business. Why is it that a decent, honest, hard working person needs to hire lawyers, sleep on the floor, and lose their position without any consequences to the criminals that have caused this? These companies should have their licenses revoked and we hope that this organization can conduct their own investigation so that this criminal behavior does not continue and effect more people. We are fighting for our family, but we are also fighting to prevent more crime and suffering of people who will lose their belongings (and essentially their lives) if nothing is done and this work is continued by the hand of criminals who are able to operate under the shield of a license and a supposedly moving company. Regards, Erik R   (((REDACTED))) +xx-xx-xxx-5002 +1-954-xxx-xxxx

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.