A Palm Beach County homeowner has filed a lawsuit alleging fraud and breach of contract against a local plumbing company and its owner. On December 26, 2024, Diana Karn initiated legal action in the Circuit Court of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida, targeting On Demand Waterworx, LLC, and its owner Donald Russell.

According to the complaint filed by Karn, she contracted On Demand Waterworx and Russell for extensive plumbing work at her Lake Worth residence. The services were to include the installation of a bathtub, toilet, kitchen sink, and other related plumbing tasks. However, Karn alleges that neither Russell nor his company was properly licensed to perform such work. Despite this, they assured her that permits were unnecessary as there would be “no changes made in plumbing.” Karn claims she paid an initial deposit of $7,857.32 on April 18, 2024. Following this payment, she noticed unauthorized charges on her debit card amounting to $11,150 between April and July 2024.

The lawsuit further accuses Waterworx and Russell of civil theft under Florida Statutes §§812.014 and 772.11. These statutes outline that theft occurs when someone knowingly obtains or uses another’s property with intent to deprive them of it permanently or temporarily. Karn argues that both defendants never intended to complete the agreed-upon services but instead sought monetary gain through deceitful means.