Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has filed charges against Capital Jazz and its owner, Clifford Hunte, over more than $642,000 in unpaid refunds from a canceled 2026 music cruise.
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division filed a Statement of Charges alleging Capital Jazz violated the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and breached an earlier settlement agreement tied to previous refund failures.
More than $642,000 owed in cruise refunds
The Capital Jazz SuperCruise was scheduled to sail the Caribbean from March 22-29, 2026 onboard MSC Divina.
MSC Cruises canceled the charter agreement in November 2025 after Capital Jazz failed to meet payment obligations, despite continuing to collect money from customers. By the time passengers learned of the cancellation, many had already paid thousands of dollars and booked flights and hotels.
The Consumer Protection Division says 103 customers are so far confirmed to be owed $642,240 in total. Officials believe more passengers may be affected and have not yet come forward.
Capital Jazz also allegedly stopped paying penalties it owed under a 2025 settlement that resolved earlier refund complaints.
“Capital Jazz made a commitment to Maryland consumers and broke it, and then they brazenly did it again,” Attorney General Brown said. “My office intends to use every legal tool available to hold it accountable in its failure to honor its obligations to consumers.”
It’s worth noting that the dispute is between passengers and Capital Jazz, not MSC Cruises. MSC canceled the charter after Capital Jazz failed to make payments, and the cruise line has no legal obligation to refund passengers who booked through the event organizer.
Third SuperCruise canceled in five years
This is the third Capital Jazz SuperCruise to be canceled in five years. The company previously faced legal action over cruises canceled in 2021 and 2022, which resulted in a 2025 settlement requiring Capital Jazz to provide cruise refunds and purchase cancellation insurance for future events.
A hearing before the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings is scheduled for July 21, 2026.
Capital Jazz has organized its annual music festival in the Washington, D.C. area for more than 30 years, drawing tens of thousands of fans to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland each June.
Customers who believe they are owed refunds from the canceled 2026 SuperCruise can contact the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 410-528-8662.
