For Florists Affected by PFN Bankruptcy

As many florists know, Tom Meola's Preferred Florist Network filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in US federal court earlier this month. The information below, compiled by a FlowerChat.com member, may be helpful to florists who are currently owed funds by PFN.

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Court: US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey
Martin Luther King Jr Federal Building
50 Walnut Street
Newark, NJ 07102
phone # 973-645-4764 or 877-239-2547
website: http://njb.uscourts.gov

Trustee: Joseph J. Newman
Judge: Donald J. Steckroth

Case # 07-21760-DHS

First Meeting of the Creditors: September 17, 2007 @ 9:30 am - Newark, NJ

Companies in bankruptcy covered by this claim: Preferred Florist Network (PFN), TTP Inc and Lower Forty Gardens, Inc.

To File a claim with the Bankruptcy court: Go to http://njb.uscourts.gov and then click on bankruptcy forms. Once you get the forms page up, go to form B-10 (Proof of Claim). (I believe you can fill this form in on the computer. However, YOU WILL WANT TO PRINT IT OUT AND MAIL IT BY CERTIFIED MAIL TO THE COURT.) Be sure to attach copies of all invoices, etc or other documentation. (Since we are not attorneys we cannot file electronically). Be sure to keep a copy for your files. (You should check off "goods provided" in the category of why you are filing -- this possibly may move you up a little higher on the distribution chain.) Claims are then handled usually in this order: first - Federal & State governments owed; employee wages, benefits, pensions, secured creditors (mortgage holders), and then finally , unsecured creditors.

It does NOT require an attorney to file a claim. It is a simple 1 page piece of paper. It does get you on the creditor list, and you are kept up to date on all the proceedings. And it does give you the opportunity to object to a proposed payout/settlement, should one ever come.

DO NOT GIVE UP!!!! File a claim, Get on the list!! It does not take long to fill out 1 piece of paper.....The court needs to know how bad this really is, and I'm not sure that Meola really knows.

Possible Fraud reporting: In the left-hand bar of the US Bankruptcy forms page, there is a bar for the "United States Trustee Program". Click here & read first. This is a 1 page explanation of how to report to the Department of Justice any suspected FRAUD that you have direct knowledge of. (ie: are there any other companies or places that the Trustee should be looking to for assets. Are there any other companies he should know about?) Information is on there for the direct reporting of any suspected fraud, or information that you might have. I urge you to report, if you have any direct information.

Meola's filing for Chapter 7 means that these companies will be LIQUIDATED. The liquidation, however, could mean that his other companies, or another OG, will buy the phones numbers and any other assets. That's why it is important for EVERYONE who has any direct knowledge to inform the Trustee. (He's like the court administrative manager of this case.)

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If you are professional florist who is owed money from Preferred Florist Network (PFN), and you have been negatively impacted by PFN's bankruptcy filing, you are welcome to join our discussion about this issue at flowerchat.com. (Login required)