By The Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit draws steady searches because two separate federal wage cases have been tied to the same Florida business. Readers want to know what workers alleged, whether a settlement was approved, and where the newest case stands today. This article sorts the public records into two tracks so the cases are not confused. It treats allegations as allegations and flags anything that could not be verified. It offers general legal information, not legal advice.
Background on Oz’s Gentlemen’s Club and Gulf Coast Holdings
Court records name Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC, a Florida limited liability company doing business as Oz’s Gentlemen’s Club, as a defendant in both cases. Paul Scagnelli, described in the 2023 order as the club’s owner, is also named in both. Each case was filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and the earlier one was assigned to the Tampa Division. This article makes no claims about the club’s management or general practices beyond what those filings contain.
What Is the Oz Gentlemen’s Club Lawsuit About?
Two documented cases involve the club, and they are not the same case. A complaint is a set of claims made by a plaintiff. It is not a finding by a judge, and nothing here should be read as proof of misconduct.
The 2021 case, Dale v. Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC, Case No. 8:21-cv-02246, was filed by Destinee Dale. The court’s 2023 order describes her complaint as alleging that the defendants failed to pay her and other exotic dancers minimum and overtime wages as part of a scheme to classify them as independent contractors. Case summaries also describe related allegations about tip sharing and kickbacks or forced tipping.
The 2026 case, Carthane v. Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC, Case No. 8:26-cv-00938, was filed on April 1, 2026, by Vincent Carthane against Gulf Coast Holdings and Paul Scagnelli. The docket lists the Fair Labor Standards Act as the basis for the suit, classifies it as a labor standards case, and notes that a jury was demanded. The complaint text could not be reviewed for this update, so the specific factual allegations, any Florida law claims, and the relief requested are not described here.
The 2021 Wage Lawsuit and Its Background
Dale filed her case on September 22, 2021, as a collective action on behalf of others similarly situated. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, or FLSA, a collective action lets workers who choose to opt in pursue similar claims together. Court records list Alana McRae as a party alongside Dale, which indicates at least one additional plaintiff took part. The records reviewed do not show that a broader group of workers was ever certified.
The FLSA is the federal law that sets minimum wage and overtime rules for covered employees. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, and overtime is generally owed at one and a half times the regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. Independent contractors are generally not covered by those protections, which is why classification is so often the central fight in dancer cases. A job title or signed agreement does not settle the question. Courts and the US Department of Labor look at the practical reality of the relationship, including who controls the work, who sets prices, and who bears financial risk.
Case summaries of the 2023 order indicate that arbitration-related proceedings came before the individual settlements. Arbitration is a private process where a neutral decision maker, not a judge, resolves a dispute, and some work agreements require it. Readers who need the details should consult the order itself.
The 2023 Settlement and Case Closure
On November 1, 2023, Magistrate Judge Christopher P. Tuite ruled on the defendants’ second amended motion to reopen the case, approve settlement of the FLSA claims, and dismiss with prejudice. He granted it in part and denied it in part. The order approved the parties’ settlement agreements as modified at oral argument and directed the clerk to dismiss the action with prejudice and close the case. Court records show the case was reopened in October 2023 so the settlement could be reviewed.
Courts in the Eleventh Circuit, which includes Florida, generally review FLSA settlements for fairness before approving them. Here, the court reviewed the agreements and approved them in modified form. A dismissal with prejudice means the claims resolved by the order cannot be filed again in that case.
Several points matter for readers. The arrangements were individual agreements between each plaintiff and the defendants. The order does not establish a general settlement fund open to everyone who worked at the club. This article does not report settlement amounts, individual payouts, or a claims administrator, because none are described in the materials reviewed. The earlier Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit ended through that order, and it does not automatically entitle any other worker to compensation.
The New 2026 Oz Gentlemen’s Club Lawsuit
The newer case was assigned to Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington, with Magistrate Judge Lindsay S. Griffin also assigned. Gulf Coast Holdings was served on April 20, 2026, and filed an answer with affirmative defenses on May 11. An answer responds to the complaint, and affirmative defenses are legal reasons a defendant says the claims should fail or be limited. They are not evidence. Scagnelli waived formal service on June 3 and filed his own answer with affirmative defenses on June 15.
On May 12, the court issued a scheduling order for its fast-track FLSA process. It referred the case to mediator Carlos J. Burruezo and required the parties to exchange information first. The order said that if mediation ends in an impasse, the court intends to set trial within 90 to 120 days of the mediation conference. That is a stated intention, not a trial date.
Later entries show how the process has moved. On August 14, the court appointed Burruezo as mediator and set an in-person mediation conference for October 15, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. An earlier order had extended the mediation deadline to October 30. On August 25, the plaintiff filed answers to the court’s interrogatories, and on August 26 the court asked for more detail about the attorney’s fees sought. The plaintiff filed a notice responding on August 31.
On September 9, the defendants filed a verified summary, a document the court’s June 3 order required of them. The docket text describes an attached exhibit, a decision letter from the Pinellas County Office of Human Rights. The contents of that filing were not reviewed, so this article draws no conclusion about what it means for the case.
Current Oz Gentlemen’s Club Lawsuit Status in 2026
Based on docket entries through September 9, 2026, the Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit filed in 2026 is pending and in its pretrial stage. The entries reviewed show no settlement notice, dismissal, judgment, ruling on liability, or collective action certification. Mediation is scheduled for October 15, 2026, and its outcome is not yet known. The docket was not re-checked after September 9, so anything filed since is unconfirmed.
The timeline below keeps the two cases apart:
The 2021 case, Dale (8:21-cv-02246):
- September 22, 2021: Complaint filed as a collective action.
- October 2023: Case reopened for settlement review.
- November 1, 2023: Court approves individual settlement agreements as modified, dismisses with prejudice, and closes the case.
The 2026 case, Carthane (8:26-cv-00938):
- April 1, 2026: Complaint filed.
- May 11 and June 15, 2026: Defendants answer.
- August 14, 2026: Mediator appointed and mediation set for October 15, 2026.
- September 9, 2026: Defendants file a verified summary.
These terms mean different things. A filed lawsuit is only a set of claims. A proposed settlement is an agreement the parties have not yet submitted for approval or that awaits it. A court-approved settlement has been reviewed and accepted by a judge. A final judgment is the court’s last decision resolving the case. A dismissed case has been closed, and dismissal with prejudice bars refiling of the resolved claims.
Can Current or Former Workers File a Claim?
Whether someone has a wage claim depends on facts and law specific to them. Questions that often matter include how the person was classified, what they were paid and how, the hours worked, which federal and Florida wage laws apply, what any contract or arbitration agreement says, and how much time has passed. Filing deadlines can be strict, and they vary, so no deadline is given here.
The 2023 settlement does not create an open claims process for other workers. The records reviewed also do not show that the 2026 case is a class or collective action accepting participants, so readers should be cautious about any website that suggests otherwise. Anyone who believes they were denied wages should speak with a qualified employment attorney or contact the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. This article offers no compensation estimates and no guarantee of eligibility.
What Workers Should Know About Wage and Hour Rights
The FLSA exists to set a baseline for pay. It covers minimum wage, overtime for non-exempt employees, recordkeeping, and protection against retaliation for raising wage complaints. The Wage and Hour Division enforces it, and workers can also bring private lawsuits. Florida adds its own minimum wage protections through its constitution and statutes, and the Florida Department of Commerce publishes current information on them.
Records often shape how these disputes unfold. Workers should keep copies of contracts and agreements, pay stubs or payment logs, schedules, tip records, and messages about pay or work rules. The Department of Labor’s fact sheets on the employment relationship and its pages on minimum wage and overtime explain these rules in plain language. This is general information, and results in any individual situation are never guaranteed.
Key Takeaways
- The Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit involves two separate cases, Dale (2021) and Carthane (2026), with different plaintiffs and case numbers.
- Dale ended on November 1, 2023, when the court approved modified individual settlements and dismissed the case with prejudice.
- No general settlement fund or open claims process appears in the court records reviewed.
- Carthane, filed April 1, 2026, was pending as of docket entries through September 9, 2026, with mediation set for October 15, 2026.
- Complaint allegations are not findings, and no court has determined liability in either case.
- Readers with wage concerns should consult a qualified employment attorney or the Department of Labor, and should verify case status on PACER.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit about?
The phrase refers to two separate federal cases against Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC, which does business as Oz’s Gentlemen’s Club. The 2021 case, Dale, alleged that exotic dancers were misclassified as independent contractors and denied minimum and overtime wages. The 2026 case, Carthane, was filed under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Allegations in complaints are unproven claims, not court findings.
2. Was Oz’s Gentlemen’s Club sued over unpaid wages?
Yes. Court records show wage-related lawsuits filed in 2021 and 2026 that name Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC and Paul Scagnelli as defendants. The 2021 complaint alleged unpaid minimum and overtime wages, and the 2026 case is classified as a Fair Labor Standards Act matter. Being sued is not the same as being found liable.
3. What happened to the earlier Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit?
On November 1, 2023, the court approved individual settlement agreements as modified at oral argument. It then dismissed the 2021 case, Dale, with prejudice and closed it. That order resolved the claims in that case. It did not decide the separate 2026 lawsuit, which involves a different plaintiff and case number.
4. Was a settlement approved in the 2021 case?
Yes. The court approved the parties’ individual settlement agreements in modified form. The materials reviewed do not describe settlement amounts, so none are reported here. The approval applied to the agreements before the court, and it does not create a payment right for other workers who were not part of those agreements.
5. Is there a new Oz Gentlemen’s Club lawsuit in 2026?
Yes. Vincent Carthane filed Carthane v. Gulf Coast Holdings, LLC, Case No. 8:26-cv-00938, on April 1, 2026, in the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Docket entries through September 9, 2026, show the case pending, with mediation scheduled for October 15, 2026. No resolution appears on that docket.
6. Is there an active settlement fund for Oz’s Gentlemen’s Club?
None appears in the court records reviewed. The 2023 settlements were individual agreements, and the 2026 docket shows no settlement, proposed fund, or claims process. Readers should be wary of any website or message that promises payments or asks for personal information in connection with a supposed fund.
7. Can former dancers seek unpaid wages?
Possibly, but it depends on the facts. Classification, hours worked, pay records, applicable law, contract or arbitration terms, and filing deadlines can all matter. Nothing in this article guarantees eligibility or a result. A qualified employment attorney or the US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division can review a specific situation.
8. Where can readers check the latest lawsuit updates?
The official source is the federal court’s electronic records system, PACER, using case number 8:26-cv-00938 in the Middle District of Florida. Free docket aggregators can help but may lag behind the court. Readers should confirm any material development against the court’s own record before relying on it.
9. What does the Fair Labor Standards Act protect?
The FLSA sets the federal minimum wage and requires overtime pay for covered non-exempt employees. It also imposes recordkeeping duties on employers and protects workers from retaliation for raising wage complaints. The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforces it, and workers can sometimes bring private lawsuits.
10. Has a court determined liability in the newer case?
No. The docket entries reviewed through September 9, 2026, show no ruling on liability, no judgment, and no collective action certification. The case is in its pretrial stage, with mediation scheduled. Defendants have filed answers denying liability through affirmative defenses, and the claims have not been decided.