CJ-2026-00112 - AMERICAN EXPRESS NATIONAL BANK v. EDGAR JOHN

What's This Case About?

Let’s cut right to the chase: a man in Oklahoma owes American Express $13,806.25—about the price of a used Honda Civic—and now one of the most powerful financial institutions in the world is dragging him into court over it. That’s right. The company that issues gold-plated credit cards to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs is suing a guy from Broken Arrow for the cost of a midsize sedan, and we’re here to unpack every penny of this financial dumpster fire.

So who are we even talking about here? On one side, you’ve got American Express National Bank—yes, that Amex—the same company that sponsors the Met Gala and runs those smug “Don’t Travel Without It” ads. They’re represented by a debt collection law firm called Nelson and Kennard, LLP, which, by the way, operates out of Colorado and specializes in exactly this kind of lawsuit: chasing down people who fell behind on their bills. On the other side? Edgar John. That’s it. Just Edgar John. No corporate backing, no legal team, no mention of representation. Just a guy living at 22809 E 101st Pl S in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, who apparently stopped paying his Blue Cash Everyday® card somewhere around August 2025. That’s the last time he made a payment. Since then? Radio silence. Or at least, checkbook silence.

Now, let’s talk about what actually happened—or at least, what Amex says happened. According to the filing, Edgar opened a credit account (account ending in 1007, if you’re scoring at home), used it like a normal person—swiping for groceries, gas, maybe a Target run or two—and then stopped making the monthly payments. That’s the core of the lawsuit: breach of contract. Fancy legal term, simple idea. You signed up for a credit card. You agreed to pay it back. You didn’t. Now they want their money. The total? $13,806.25. And before you say “that’s not that much,” let’s break it down, because the real horror story is in the details.

That balance isn’t just what he spent. It’s what he spent plus interest plus fees plus more interest plus more fees, all compounding like a financial zombie apocalypse. Look at that statement: $310.35 in interest in a single month. A single. Month. And that’s not even the worst part. The statement casually drops this bombshell in a little table: if you only make the minimum payment every month, it will take you 24 years to pay this off—and you’ll end up shelling out $41,905 in total. Let that sink in. A $13,800 debt becomes a $42,000 debt if you just… keep doing the bare minimum. That’s not borrowing money. That’s signing up for a lifetime subscription to debt.

And the fees? Oh, the fees. There’s a $40 late fee tacked on because the payment was past due. No surprise there. But scroll down and you’ll see the real kicker: total interest paid in 2025 alone was $2,780.45. That’s more than some people make in a month, and it’s just the interest—not a single dollar of the original balance was paid down. The APR? 27.74%. Variable, of course, and it can go up to 29.99% if things go south. That’s not a loan. That’s a financial black hole.

So why are we in court? Because Amex, after sending reminder notices, late warnings, and probably a few passive-aggressive emails about credit counseling services, decided to sue. The legal claim is “breach of contract,” which in plain English means: “You promised to pay us. You didn’t. Now we want a judge to make you pay.” No fraud. No identity theft. No dispute about whether the charges were made. Just a straightforward “you owe us, and we’re not waiting anymore” situation. It’s the financial equivalent of your friend who lent you $20 and now won’t stop texting you until you Venmo them.

And what do they want? $13,806.25. Plus court costs. Plus attorney fees. Plus “such other and further relief as the Court may deem proper,” which is legalese for “and maybe we’ll get something extra if the judge feels like it.” Is $13,800 a lot? For American Express? No. It’s a rounding error. For Edgar John? Probably a lot. We don’t know his income, his job, or what happened in August 2025 that made him stop paying—maybe a job loss, medical bills, a divorce, or just life piling up like dirty laundry. But we do know this: he’s being sued by a bank that made $8.5 billion in profit last year. There’s a power imbalance here so steep it should come with a warning label.

Here’s the most absurd part: the statement is littered with warnings and advice. “If you make only the minimum payment, you’ll be paying this for 24 years.” “Call for credit counseling.” “You may have rights if you’re dissatisfied with a purchase.” It’s like the financial version of a cigarette pack: “WARNING: This product may destroy your financial future.” And yet, people keep using it. Because that’s how credit cards work. They’re designed to look harmless—$13,800 doesn’t feel like much when you’re swiping for a weekend getaway or a new couch. But compound interest doesn’t care about your intentions. It just grows. And grows. And grows.

We’re not rooting for reckless spending. We’re not saying people should never pay their debts. But come on—American Express, a titan of finance, sending a law firm to sue a guy in Wagoner County over what, to them, is less than the cost of a single executive’s lunch at a Manhattan steakhouse? And doing it with a statement that literally says, “You will pay $41,905 if you keep making minimum payments”? That’s not justice. That’s predatory math dressed up as a legal claim.

At the end of the day, this isn’t really about Edgar John. It’s about the entire credit card machine—the late fees, the sky-high APRs, the minimum payments that trap people in decades of debt, and the moment when a bank decides it’s easier to sue than to work with someone who’s clearly drowning. So while the court may eventually rule on who owes what, the real verdict is already in: the system is rigged. And sometimes, the most shocking thing about a civil lawsuit isn’t the crime—it’s how normal the injustice has become.

Case Overview

$13,806 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Ashton Dewayne Sears

Nelson and Kennard, LLP

Relief Sought

$13,806 Monetary

Plaintiffs

AMERICAN EXPRESS NATIONAL BANK business
Rep: Nelson and Kennard, LLP

Defendants

EDGAR JOHN individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	breach of contract	failure to make required monthly payments on a credit account

Petition Text

2,599 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF WAGONER COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA AMERICAN EXPRESS NATIONAL BANK, Plaintiff, vs. EDGAR JOHN Defendant(s). Case No. CJ-2026-112 Wagoner County, Oklahoma Filed In District Court MAR 12 2026 James E. Hight Court Clerk At ____ o'clock ____ M PETITION COMES NOW the Plaintiff, by and through counsel, Nelson and Kennard, LLP, and herewith alleges the following and seeks redress as hereafter delineated. 1. Plaintiff is a national banking association, which transacts business within the State of Oklahoma. 2. Venue is proper in this County, as the Defendant(s) reside(s) in this County at the commencement of this action. 3. The last four (4) digits of the Defendant’s account number, used by the original creditor as of the date of default are XXXXXXXXXX1007. 4. Plaintiff's claim arises when the Defendant(s) opened a credit account and failed to make the required monthly payments as agreed. A true and accurate copy of the last periodic statement provided to the Defendant(s) prior to charge-off is attached hereto as Exhibit 1. 5. The Defendant(s) breached the Contract by failing to make the required periodic payments. 6. As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant(s) default, the total amount of debt claimed is $13,806.25. 7. The date of the last payment made by the Defendant(s) is August 20, 2025. 8. Plaintiff seeks court costs, and for such further relief as the Court may deem proper in the premises. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff, AMERICAN EXPRESS NATIONAL BANK prays for judgment against the Defendant(s), EDGAR JOHN in the amount of $13,806.25, plus all costs herein expended, including but not limited to, court costs, sheriff’s fees, and special process server fees, attorney fees; and for such other and further relief as the Court may deem proper in the premises. Dated this January 27, 2026 Nelson and Kennard, LLP By: ________ Ashton Dewayne Sears, OBA # 35737 12596 W. Bayaud Ave., Ste. 120 Lakewood, CO 80228 Phone: 866-920-2295 [email protected] Attorney for the Plaintiff EXHIBIT 1 Blue Cash Everyday® from American Express EDGAR JOHN Closing Date 11/16/25 Account Ending ■1007 New Balance $13,806.25 Minimum Payment Due $1,383.32 Includes the past due amount of $898.42 Payment Due Date 12/11/25 Late Payment Warning: If we do not receive your Minimum Payment Due by the Payment Due Date of 12/11/25, you may have to pay a late fee of up to $40.00 and your APRs may be increased to the Penalty APR of 29.99%. Minimum Payment Warning: If you have a Non-Plan Balance and make only the minimum payment each period, you will pay more in interest and it will take you longer to pay off your Non-Plan Balance. For example: <table> <tr> <th>If you make no additional charges and each month you pay...</th> <th>You will pay off the balance shown on this statement in about...</th> <th>And you will pay an estimated total of...</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Only the Minimum Payment Due</td> <td>24 years</td> <td>$41,905</td> </tr> </table> If you would like information about credit counseling services, call 1-888-733-4139. See page 2 for important information about your account. WARNING: Your account is past due. Please refer to the IMPORTANT NOTICES section. Reward Dollars as of 10/18/2025 234.37 For more details about Rewards, visit americanexpress.com/cashbackrewards Account Summary <table> <tr> <th>Previous Balance</th> <th>$13,455.90</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Payments/Credits</th> <th>-$0.00</th> </tr> <tr> <th>New Charges</th> <th>+0.00</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Fees</th> <th>+40.00</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Interest Charged</th> <th>+310.35</th> </tr> </table> New Balance $13,806.25 Minimum Payment Due $1,383.32 Credit Limit $18,200.00 Available Credit $4,393.75 Cash Advance Limit $3,600.00 Available Cash $3,600.00 ↓Please fold on the perforation below, detach and return with your payment↓ Payment Coupon Do not staple or use paper clips Pay by Computer americanexpress.com/pbc Pay by Phone 1-800-472-9297 Account Ending ■1007 Enter 15 digit account # on all payments. Make check payable to American Express. EDGAR JOHN 22809 E 101ST PL S BROKEN ARROW OK 74014-2474 See reverse side for instructions on how to update your address, phone number, or email. AMERICAN EXPRESS PO BOX 6031 CAROL STREAM IL 60197-6031 Payment Due Date 12/11/25 New Balance $13,806.25 Minimum Payment Due $1,383.32 $ ________ Amount Enclosed Payments: Your payment must be sent to the payment address shown on your statement and must be received by 5 p.m. local time at that address to be credited as of the day it is received. Payments we receive after 5 p.m. will not be credited to your Account until the next day. Payments must also: (1) include the remittance coupon from your statement; (2) be made with a single check drawn on a US bank and payable in US dollars, or with a negotiable instrument payable in US dollars and clearable through the US banking system; and (3) include your Account number. If your payment does not meet all of the above requirements, crediting may be delayed and you may incur late payment fees and additional interest charges. Electronic payments must be made through an electronic payment method payable in US dollars and clearable through the US banking system. Please do not send post-dated checks as they will be deposited upon receipt. Any restrictive language on a payment we accept will have no effect on us without our express prior written approval. We will re-present to your financial institution any payment that is returned unpaid. Permission for Electronic Withdrawal: (1) When you send a check for payment, you give us permission to electronically withdraw your payment from your deposit or other asset account. We will process checks electronically by transmitting the amount of the check, routing number, account number and check serial number to your financial institution, unless the check is not processable electronically or a less costly process is available. When we process your check electronically, your payment may be withdrawn from your deposit or other asset account as soon as the same day we receive your check, and you will not receive that cancelled check with your deposit or other asset account statement. If we cannot collect the funds electronically we may issue a draft against your deposit or other asset account for the amount of the check. (2) By using Pay By Computer, Pay By Phone or any other electronic payment service of ours, you give us permission to electronically withdraw funds from the deposit or other asset account you specify in the amount you request. Payments using such services of ours received after 8:00 p.m. MST may not be credited until the next day. How We Calculate Your Balance: We use the Average Daily Balance (ADB) method (including new transactions) to calculate the balance on which we charge interest on your Account. Call the Customer Care number on page 3 for more information about this balance computation method and how resulting interest charges are determined. The method we use to figure the ADB and interest results in daily compounding of interest. Paying Interest: Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing period. We will not charge you interest on your purchases if you pay each month your entire balance (or Adjusted Balance if applicable) by the due date each month. We will charge you interest on cash advances and (unless otherwise disclosed) balance transfers beginning on the transaction date. Foreign Currency Charges: If you make a Charge in a foreign currency, we will convert it into US dollars on the date we or our agents process it. We will charge a fee of 2.70% of the converted US dollar amount. We will choose a conversion rate that is acceptable to us for that date, unless a particular rate is required by law. The conversion rate we use is no more than the highest official rate published by a government agency or the highest interbank rate we identify from customary banking sources on the conversion date or the prior business day. This rate may differ from rates in effect on the date of your charge. Charges converted by establishments (such as airlines) will be billed at the rates such establishments use. Credit Balance: A credit balance (designated CR) shown on this statement represents money owed to you. If within the six-month period following the date of the first statement indicating the credit balance you do not request a refund or charge enough to use up the credit balance, we will send you a check for the credit balance within 30 days if the amount is $1.00 or more. Credit Reporting: We may report information about your Account to credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your Account may be reflected in your credit report. What To Do If You Think You Find A Mistake On Your Statement If you think there is an error on your statement, write to us at: American Express, PO Box 981535, El Paso TX 79998-1535 You may also contact us on the Web: www.americanexpress.com In your letter, give us the following information: - Account information: Your name and account number. - Dollar amount: The dollar amount of the suspected error. - Description of Problem: If you think there is an error on your bill, describe what you believe is wrong and why you believe it is a mistake. You must contact us within 60 days after the error appeared on your statement. You must notify us of any potential errors in writing [or electronically]. You may call us, but if you do we are not required to investigate any potential errors and you may have to pay the amount in question. While we investigate whether or not there has been an error, the following are true: - We cannot try to collect the amount in question, or report you as delinquent on that amount. - The charge in question may remain on your statement, and we may continue to charge you interest on that amount. But, if we determine that we made a mistake, you will not have to pay the amount in question or any interest or other fees related to that amount. - While you do not have to pay the amount in question, you are responsible for the remainder of your balance. - We can apply any unpaid amount against your credit limit. Your Rights If You Are Dissatisfied With Your Credit Card Purchases If you are dissatisfied with the goods or services that you have purchased with your credit card, and you have tried in good faith to correct the problem with the merchant, you may have the right not to pay the remaining amount due on the purchase. To use this right, all of the following must be true: 1. The purchase must have been made in your home state or within 100 miles of your current mailing address, and the purchase price must have been more than $50. (Note: Neither of these is necessary if your purchase was based on an advertisement we mailed to you, or if we own the company that sold you the goods or services.) 2. You must have used your credit card for the purchase. Purchases made with cash advances from an ATM or with a check that accesses your credit card account do not qualify. 3. You must not yet have fully paid for the purchase. If all of the criteria above are met and you are still dissatisfied with the purchase, contact us in writing or electronically at: American Express, PO Box 981535, El Paso TX 79998-1535 www.americanexpress.com While we investigate, the same rules apply to the disputed amount as discussed above. After we finish our investigation, we will tell you our decision. At that point, if we think you owe an amount and you do not pay we may report you as delinquent. Change of Address, phone number, email - Online at www.americanexpress.com/updatecontactinfo - Via mobile device - Voice automated: call the number on the back of your card - For name, company name, and foreign address or phone changes, please call Customer Care Please do not add any written communication or address change on this stub Blue Cash Everyday® from American Express EDGAR JOHN Closing Date 11/16/25 Account Ending □1007 Customer Care & Billing Inquiries International Collect Cash Advance at ATMs Inquiries Large Print & Braille Statements 1-888-258-3741 1-336-393-1111 1-800-CASH-NOW 1-888-258-3741 Hearing Impaired Online chat at americanexpress.com or use Relay dial 711 and 1-888-258-3741 Website: americanexpress.com Customer Care & Billing Inquiries P.O. BOX 981535 EL PASO, TX 79998-1535 Payments PO BOX 6031 CAROL STREAM IL 60197-6031 Fees <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Amount</th> </tr> <tr> <td>11/11/25</td> <td>Late Payment Fee</td> <td>$40.00</td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2">Total Fees for this Period</th> <th>$40.00</th> </tr> </table> Interest Charged <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Amount</th> </tr> <tr> <td>11/16/25</td> <td>Interest Charge on Purchases</td> <td>$310.35</td> </tr> <tr> <th colspan="2">Total Interest Charged for this Period</th> <th>$310.35</th> </tr> </table> About Trailing Interest You may see interest on your next statement even if you pay the new balance in full and on time and make no new charges. This is called "trailing interest". Trailing interest is the interest charged when, for example, you didn't pay your previous balance in full. When that happens, we charge interest from the first day of the billing period until we receive your payment in full. You can avoid paying interest on purchases by paying your balance in full (or if you have a Plan balance, by paying your Adjusted Balance on your billing statement) by the due date each month. Please see the "When we charge interest" sub-section in your Cardmember Agreement for details. 2025 Fees and Interest Totals Year-to-Date <table> <tr> <th colspan="2">Amount</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Total Fees in 2025</td> <td>$183.95</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Total Interest in 2025</td> <td>$2,780.45</td> </tr> </table> Interest Charge Calculation Days in Billing Period: 30 Your Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the annual interest rate on your account. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%. <table> <tr> <th>Transactions Dated From To</th> <th>Annual Percentage Rate</th> <th>Balance Subject to Interest Rate</th> <th>Interest Charge</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Purchases 09/05/2025</td> <td>27.74% (v)</td> <td>$521.03</td> <td>$11.88</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Purchases 08/05/2024 09/04/2025</td> <td>27.74% (v)</td> <td>$13,090.78</td> <td>$298.47</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Cash Advances 09/05/2025</td> <td>28.99% (v)</td> <td>$0.00</td> <td>$0.00</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Total</th> <th></th> <th></th> <th>$310.35</th> </tr> </table> (v) Variable Rate EDGAR JOHN Account Ending ■1007 EFT Error Resolution Notice In Case of Errors or Questions About Your Electronic Transfers Telephone us at 1-800-IPAY-AXP for Pay By Phone questions, at 1-800-528-2122 for Pay By Computer questions, and at 1-800-528-4800 for AutoPay questions. You may also write us at American Express, Electronic Funds Services, P.O. Box 981531, El Paso TX 79998-1531, or contact us online at www.americanexpress.com/inquirycenter as soon as you can, if you think your statement or receipt is wrong or if you need more information about a transfer on the statement or receipt. We must hear from you no later than 60 days after we sent you the FIRST statement on which the error or problem appeared. 1. Tell us your name and account number (if any). 2. Describe the error or the transfer you are unsure about, and explain as clearly as you can why you believe it is an error or why you need more information. 3. Tell us the dollar amount of the suspected error. We will investigate your complaint and will correct any error promptly. If we take more than 10 business days to do this, we will credit your account for the amount you think is in error, so that you will have the use of the money during the time it takes us to complete our investigation. End of Important Notices.