3 INVESTIGATES: Home improvement contractor arrested for fraud | 3 Investigates

BOSSIER Metropolis, La. – A area household contractor that KTBS has featured in two investigative experiences this week is in jail.

Bossier Metropolis law enforcement issued an arrest warrant for Richard Paul, 66, and he surrendered to authorities Thursday. He was booked into Bossier Most Safety Facility and is held on a $45,000 bond. 

KTBS 3 Investigates reporter T.W. Starr has been looking into Paul and his enterprise, People’s Choice Flooring and Transforming, for the past number of months. The investigation was sparked by complaints termed in by viewers about Paul’s enterprise procedures.

Owners scattered in the course of the ArkLaTex say Paul and a person of his contractors, Todd Coleman, ended up paid out to do home repairs but did not follow by. A Shreveport woman mentioned she paid out the firm $74,000 in July 2020. And a Coushatta girl reported she missing $30,000, whilst a plumber explained Paul owes him $7,000.

Associated Studies

Bossier City law enforcement spokesman Lt. Bart Cavanaugh said Paul’s arrest stems from function not carried out for a property owner on Radbrook in south Bossier Town. The property owner experienced storm damage and Paul believed repairs at $112,000. The home-owner paid out Paul $60,000 up entrance.

Paul is alleged to have brought on additional injury whilst operating on the house by slipping by means of the ceiling numerous situations. The dwelling then experienced additional destruction when yet another storm rolled by way of. 

Following numerous months of making an attempt to get Paul to comprehensive the task, the home owner submitted a criticism with Bossier City law enforcement. The property owner advised investigators Paul admitted to not having income to shell out her again or to entire the career, Cavanaugh explained. 

Paul is not even permitted to do that form of operate, Cavanaugh explained. Paul is only permitted by the state to do non-household work up to $70,000 in value. 

KTBS talked with Paul two times on the cell phone. He canceled a scheduled on-digital camera job interview on the early morning it was to consider location. Starr made a number of excursions to Paul’s place of work on Youree Drive but no 1 was there.

Tommy Wimbley, one of the house owners who explained he paid Paul’s contractor, Coleman, $11,000 for work that was never carried out, recorded his dialogue with Paul on his cell telephone. Paul is recorded as saying he was going to get treatment of the undone function on Wimbley’s residence. Wimbley’s reaction: “You been telling me that for the previous five months.”

Wimbley blames Coleman as currently being the “mastermind” guiding the troubles with the organization and describes Paul as a “contractor with a license to steal.”

As KTBS documented Thursday, Coleman is a convicted felon, getting been two times convicted of house improvement fraud. He’s been requested to spend restitution of in excess of $36,000 to two victims.

——

Bossier Town police say any other property owners in the metropolis who have unfinished work through contracts with Paul or his corporation need to make contact with them and file studies.