I-TEAM: New Baton Rouge CAO is mired in litigation with multiple companies

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - He hasn’t even started his new job yet, and already there are questions being raised by prominent people in Baton Rouge about the background of the incoming Mayor-President’s chief administrative officer, Charlie Davis.

In a news release sent out by Sid Edwards' press team on Christmas Eve, Mayor-President Elect Sid Edwards said Davis is the founder and CEO of Moxey, a small business network across Louisiana. He cofounded MasteryPrep, a Baton Rouge-based startup company that helps underprivileged students across the country.

Both companies that are named in that news release are currently mired in litigation. At least one lawsuit alleges laws may have been broken.

Baton Rouge Businessman Charlie Davis named Chief Administrative Officer.(WAFB)

Partners One sues Moxey

In November, a trade organization called Partners One Inc. (POI) sued Moxey alleging that as it sought outside investors it used Partners One information to appear more attractive.

“Moxey unethically and criminally modified without consent the intellectual property belonging to POI and its members,” the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit further alleges that Moxey may have violated the law.

“Because of the theft or recreation of its member accounts by the defendant, POI is presently losing its good name, unable to maintain its contractual obligations with its clients and is suffering loss of reputation as a result,” the lawsuit states. “...Plaintiff also shows that the actions of Moxey may be considered criminal. Moxey, without authority, created currency in the form of debits and credits which are the intellectual property of Partners One and its members.”

In November, a Judge ruled in favor of Partners One, granting their restraining order preventing Moxey from soliciting any of Partners One clients.

A number of other companies, GeauxTrade, Crescent City Trade Exchange, ITrade, Trust Acadiana and TangiTrade that were also doing business with Moxey sued and were released from their contractual obligations.

Davis sues Ring Publications (aka MasteryPrep) the company he cofounded

Davis is also in litigation with MasteryPrep and its founder Craig Gehring, alleging he is owed money from them. MasteryPrep countersued Davis.

In 2017, a lawsuit was filed alleging that the terms of the operating agreement were not followed and money was owed to Davis. A settlement was reached in December of that year.

Davis alleges in his lawsuit that Gehring and Ring Publications used misleading terminology in the settlement agreement amounting to violations of the Louisiana Securities Act. '

Davis is asking for a jury trial in this case.

A hearing is scheduled on January 13, 2025 for this case.

Numerous businesses tied to Charlie Davis are inactive or revoked by LA Secretary of State

A search of the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office website shows numerous businesses registered to Charlie Davis. A number of them are no longer operating and at least six had their charters revoked for not following corporate formalities, records show.

1. Share Your Home

Created 9/1/05

Inactive - Revoked 11/21/09

2. Prodigy Health Insurance

Created 8/11/10

Inactive - Revoked 11/15/13

3. Buildright

Created 9/4/20

Inactive - Revoked 11/15/23

4. Liquid Ventures Inc. LLC

Created 6/18/02

Inactive - Administrative Termination 9/17/19, 9/17/21, 9/17/24

5.Varsity Vests LLC

Created 10/23/03

Inactive - Revoked 2/15/16

6. Louisiana Children’s Education Alliance

Created 1/16/07

Inactive - Revoked 5/14/19

7. Louisiana Education Advocates

Created 1/16/07

Inactive - Revoked 5/18/16

8. Liquid Ventures MX, LLC

Created 6/21/17

Active - Not in good standing

9. Moxey, Inc

Created 12/14/23

Active - Not in good standing

A news release sent out by the Mayor’s new team said, “As CAO, Davis will work with the Mayor-President to establish goals for departments and individual administrators, assess policies and staffing needs, and collaborate on financial strategies and help to analyze the city-parish government’s budget.”

Charlie Davis and Mayor-elect Sid Edwards respond

The WAFB I-TEAM reached out to Charlie Davis for a comment on this story.

“Litigation is an unfortunate but common part of most large business ventures. The Moxey cases have already been resolved and will be dismissed shortly. The remaining case is one I feel strongly about and it will not distract from my duties as CAO,” Davis said.

The WAFB I-TEAM also asked about all of the businesses that are tied to his name that are inactive or have had their charters revoked.

“I’m proud of all of the non-profit organizations and for-profit businesses that I’ve helped to start over the past two and a half decades.

My first company was actually the Tiger Weekly, a newspaper that I published in the late 90’s as a student at LSU.

Share Your Home was a non-profit dedicated to helping displaced residents post Katrina. The Louisiana Children’s Alliance and Build Right are organizations created to promote causes that I care deeply about - education reform and transportation improvement.

I’ve launched several businesses in the past and look forward to creating more in the future."

Mayor-elect Sid Edwards issued the following statement,

“Charlie and I talked about it prior to me naming him interim CAO. I had knowledge of those things. I have confidence in Charlie and what I have him doing now. All of that stuff is personal business situations. I don’t get involved in that, and I have confidence that he is the guy to help me get this rolling.”

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