Shuttered wedding photographer Glasser Images offers solution for couples but mum on refunds

(FOX 9) - The lawyer for a North Dakota wedding photography company, which suddenly closed last week, now says there’s a plan for hundreds of couples and photographers scrambling. Late last week customers with Glasser Images out of Bismarck, North Dakota received a letter from the owner of the company.

Jack Glasser apologized but announced the company was closing, no refund would be given, and blamed the pandemic.

Within 24 hours the North Dakota Attorney General’s office launched an investigation. Within a week the number of complaints collected has swelled from 50 to 480. Megan Lenz filed a complaint. She paid Glasser in full for her wedding coming up on October 22.

"I stressed about other stuff, but I did not stress about photography up until Thursday when we got that email," says Lenz.

Within minutes Lenz did what it has taken Glasser and his new attorney seven days to suggest, and contacted the subcontracted photographers for her big day.

"Everyone was put in a bad situation," says Lenz. "And for them to just be like contact your subcontractor they can help you. It’s like you are missing a big key piece there… money!"

While Lenz is out a couple of thousand dollars, so is photographer Brad Sigal and hundreds more. Sigal worked seven weddings for Glasser this summer and hasn’t been paid for any. Sigal also filed complaints with the North Dakota and Minnesota Attorney General’s Offices. And while Glasser’s new attorney also suggests through a  letter to provide information to the North Dakota Department of Labor, Sigal is worried he may never see a dime.

"In my opinion, it’s still very muddy," says Sigal. "It's not clear enough what we are supposed to do."

For weddings that have already taken place, Glasser’s attorney states, they are attempting to make arraignments with sub-contractors to provide the electronic data/files/ and video to outside photographers/ videographers. For subcontractors, there will not be copyright issues.

When asked during a virtual news conference about owed wages or refunds, Glasser’s attorney, had no comment.

"I want to pursue every avenue possible to get paid for the work we’ve done," says Sigal.