CHARLESTON — A Hancock County Circuit Court judge has awarded $270,000 in civil penalties against a former area disc jockey for violation of the Consumer Credit and Protection Act, according to an announcement from state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey.

Helen Marie Nichole Smith, formerly of Steubenville and Weirton, who is now living in Cincinnati, operated a disc jockey and event planning company in West Virginia, then in Ohio, from April 2020 through June 2021.

During that time, Morrisey said, she entered into 135 contracts to provide disc jockey services for weddings but failed to perform or issue refunds. Smith’s conduct resulted in guilty pleas in West Virginia and Ohio where she promised to repay 54 claims. Wednesday’s order penalizes Smith for her violations of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.

The attorney general’s office opened an investigation into Smith and her business, H&K DJ and Event Services LLC, in the spring of 2021 after receiving numerous complaints from brides and their mothers, eventually filing suit against Smith.

“This is a victory for consumers. Business owners need to know you can’t promise consumers something and then not deliver,” Morrisey said. “My office will continue to work to hold businesses that rip off customers accountable by enforcing laws to protect West Virginia consumers.”

The court order, issued Wednesday by Circuit Judge David Sims, noted Smith “is permanently enjoined and restrained from engaging in any business activity” in West Virginia. The $270,000 in penalties is broken down to $5,000 for each of the 54 violations.

Smith previously filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, the ruling notes, adding civil penalties cannot be discharged through the bankruptcy process.