HARTFORD--Attorney General Richard Blumenthal warned parents and school groups against making payments to register their children for sports and other programs through Count Me In, a recently bankrupt company.

Count Me In (CMI), a Washington state-based company recently forced into Chapter 7 bankruptcy, has allegedly failed to transfer tens of thousands of dollars, and possibly more, to several PTAs (parent teacher associations) in Connecticut and organizations elsewhere.

Blumenthal has begun an investigation after complaints from five PTAs in Greenwich that they have been denied a total of $75,000 collected in their name. These PTAs and other organizations contracted with CMI to administer registration for sports and other programs. As part of CMI's service, it accepted online credit card payments from parents to enroll children in these programs.

Registration payments collected by CMI should have been transferred to the organizations that contract with CMI, but CMI reportedly has failed to forward the money.

Three of CMI's clients out of Alaska filed an involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition against the company on Dec. 22. The case is pending before a bankruptcy court in Washington.

Blumenthal said that several organizations nationwide also claim that CMI owes them money. He urged parents and PTAs to stop using CMI for online registration payments -- and challenge credit card payments, if possible.

Blumenthal said, "Parents and PTAs should count out Count Me In. We will fight to recover any money misused and now missing, but parents should avoid this organization for now.

"Count Me In has no right to retain or redirect money -- tens of thousands of dollars or more -- that belongs to PTAs and other organizations serving our children," Blumenthal said. "Count Me In has endangered vital sports and other extra-curricular activities by failing to forward significant sums of money collected from parents. Money that Count Me In should have simply held safely and then forwarded, has now vanished without explanation.

"My office will immediately investigate and fight for parents and children in every possible forum, including bankruptcy court. Parents should protest any payment to Count Me In through their credit card companies -- if the payments have not been forwarded to the program providers."