LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Henderson city councilman is defending himself against at least one federal class action lawsuit, with another settled out of court, for his company’s practices doling out so-called payday loans at over 700% interest, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.
The lawsuits allege that councilman Dan Shaw’s company, Green Arrow Solutions, and its subsidiaries intentionally skirt state-regulated interest rates by claiming an association with a Native American Tribe in California.
Payday loans historically prey on desperate consumers who are short on money by loaning them small payments with notoriously exorbitant interest rates and cutthroat collection tactics. For example, a $500 loan at 700% interest could result in demands for prompt payment of over $1,700, the lawsuit explains.
Shaw refused two requests for an interview with the 8 News Now Investigators; one by phone and one by email, and the City of Henderson’s senior public information officer emailed a terse denial as well: “We arrange interviews for Councilmembers to discuss topics relating to their position with the City [sic] and not for private or personal business matters,” spokesperson Madeleine Skains wrote.
Shaw was not made available for any media requests during the regular meeting of the Henderson City Council on Feb. 7.
After the meeting, the 8 News Now Investigators caught up with Shaw, who had walked outside and around the entire Henderson City Hall building with the hopes of evading the reporter. He did not answer any questions and locked the news crew out of the building.
Shaw and Greg Jones are the record owners of Green Arrow Solutions, which has many subsidiaries and shells.
The two have a business venture incorporated in Delaware, other holdings in North Logan, Utah, and others with registered agents in Reno. Jones lives in Colorado, court records showed.
However, the trail eventually leads to the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, which is headquartered in Lake County, CA, a few hours from San Francisco. Green Arrow Solutions boasts an affiliation with the tribe and claims to be licensed by it.
However, the 8 News Now Investigators spoke with experts who said that those affiliations between payday loan companies and Native American Tribes are generally in name only.
Like Shaw, who directed us to his public relations representative, the tribal leader had no comment as well.
“You would have to look to Dan Shaw or somewhere else but we here at the Tribe would not be providing any other context for that story,” Tribal Leader Ben Ray III said.
According to public records, Shaw has a history of lawsuits with over 30 filed in Clark County, generally for breach of contract and nonpayment of loans.
He also has had several IRS liens filed against him, public records showed.
