Darius Williams, aka Darius Cooks, appeared in a Cobb County courtroom above a dispute with a single of his critics.
ATLANTA – The Greater Business Bureau of Metro Atlanta issued a warning about doing enterprise with a celebrity on line chef centered in Ga.
According to the BBB, a lot more than 70 clients of Darius Cooks complained they compensated for cookbooks, cookware or tickets to his Dining with Darius cooking events but didn’t get the merchandise.
And they say he disregarded their requests for refunds.
“BBB advises individuals to use warning when accomplishing small business with DariusCooks, LLC,” the nonprofit organization warned. The statement also pointed out that none of the grievances ended up ever answered.
“Respectfully, I really do not treatment,” Williams told the FOX 5 I-Workforce when asked about the BBB warning.
BBB warns customers about on line Atlanta food identity
According to the BBB, much more than 70 buyers of Darius Cooks complained they paid for cookbooks, cookware or tickets to his Eating with Darius cooking situations but did not get the merchandise.
DariusCooks, LLC was administratively dissolved in 2019 for “failing to file yearly registration and/or failure to maintain a registered agent or registered place of work in this point out,” according to the Georgia Secretary of State.
Darius Cooks is the skilled title employed by Darius Williams, a self-taught cook who crafted an on the internet presence for what he claimed are millions of followers across the region.
Some followers complain the celeb chef by no means despatched their product but retained their money, his own reverse variation of dine and sprint.
“He told me the publish business office hadn’t despatched out the deal nonetheless,” reported Sherrica Blackmon of Minot, North Dakota. The military mother ordered a cookbook following getting an previously a person without having any problems.
“But when I termed the write-up office they advised me they hadn’t been given the package but,” she stated. “All he did was print out a shipping and delivery label.”
She reported she discovered others on Williams’ social media web pages with related complaints.
So she added her responses.
“And when I did that he blocked me on social media,” she reported.
It took a phone to her bank ahead of Sherrica Blackmon lastly bought the cookbook she ordered from Darius Williams. He dismissed her BBB criticism together with a lot more than 70 other individuals.
Blackmon said it finally took disputing the demand with her bank to get Williams to supply that 2nd cookbook, months right after she complained to the BBB.
“Even with all the evidence encompassing him that several people are dealing with the similar issue, there are still individuals that are defending him, upholding him and his trash behavior,” she reported.
What variety of trash actions?
Williams posts many periods a day on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, normally likely dwell.
When some critics wrote destructive feedback on those social media web pages, Williams would respond by creating community their personal info and stimulate his trustworthy followers to fireplace back again.
It’s sometimes referred to as doxing or trolling.
Williams posted images of a person critic’s young small children. Another — Melenese Ford of Atlanta — said she was bombarded with loathe-stuffed texts, phone calls and responses from Darius Cooks fanatics.
“The human being who known as me and threatened me and my mother and father, she did not know us,” Ford stated in an job interview in March. “She did it exclusively centered on her… odd attachment to this man.”
Melenese Ford (R) did not get a prospect to testify in this hearing. She desires Williams to pay back her legal costs. He would like a long-lasting restraining get.
Ford and Williams faced off in a Cobb County courtroom this 7 days. She desired Williams to shell out her legal service fees for a non permanent restraining get he filed. She had demonstrated up at a Sandy Springs barber shop just after he are living-streamed his visit there. When Williams came outside the house, he identified a T-shirt with the words and phrases “For good Dilemma” remaining on his car.
Williams claimed he was in concern for his life and identified as law enforcement. Ford did, as well.
“I had to have my depression and stress and anxiety treatment improved soon after this incident took place,” Williams testified.
“He’s now in reasonable fear for his protection that this girl is following him,” additional his attorney Robert Nothdurft.
But the hearing that was meant to make your mind up whether or not Williams need to get a permanent restraining purchase turned into a discussion around no matter whether he’s in fact the a single accomplishing the harassing.
“The history, the path that follows Mr. Williams is rife with lies, with fraud, with harassment, with bullying,” Ford’s lawyer Will Davis informed the choose. “He desires to get clicks. He loves notice. This group of women that stick to him appreciate the drama. And so does he.”
He requested Williams if he knew the definition of trolling.
“Trolling is… earning fun of an individual or finding on a person,” Williams answered.
Ford did not get a prospect to testify before the listening to was
prolonged to yet another day. The judge said he would rule immediately after that.
Meantime, that chef’s distinctive — trolling — appears to continue to be on the menu.
“And so you’re expressing you do not troll men and women on the web?” Davis asked Williams in court docket.
“Not devoid of purpose,” he answered.