A popular health club has agreed to pay $23 million in restitution for deceptive contract practices.The illegal contracts included eight Kern County locations of In Shape Health Clubs. Deputy District Attorney Greg Pulskamp says his office began getting complaints about In Shape Health Clubs two years ago. In Shape would also send customers who would not pay the fraudulent charges to collections, something Pulskamp says they have admitted was wrong and will pay to restore their credit ratings. The D.A.’s offices of Kern, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties each get $1 million as part of the settlement with the money having to be used to prosecute consumer fraud.

Sean Michael Lisle