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

BOSSIER City, La. – A community residence contractor that KTBS has featured in two investigative reports this week is in jail.

Bossier City police issued an arrest warrant for Richard Paul, 66, and he surrendered to authorities Thursday. He was booked into Bossier Utmost Stability Facility and is held on a $45,000 bond. 

KTBS 3 Investigates reporter T.W. Starr has been searching into Paul and his company, People’s Option Flooring and Remodeling, for the earlier handful of weeks. The investigation was sparked by complaints termed in by viewers about Paul’s business enterprise practices.

House owners scattered through the ArkLaTex say Paul and 1 of his contractors, Todd Coleman, had been paid out to do property repairs but did not follow via. A Shreveport woman stated she paid the business $74,000 in July 2020. And a Coushatta girl claimed she shed $30,000, whilst a plumber mentioned Paul owes him $7,000.

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Bossier Town law enforcement spokesman Lt. Bart Cavanaugh explained Paul’s arrest stems from work not carried out for a property owner on Radbrook in south Bossier Metropolis. The home owner had storm damage and Paul estimated repairs at $112,000. The homeowner paid out Paul $60,000 up front.

Paul is alleged to have triggered a lot more harm when working on the dwelling by falling through the ceiling numerous occasions. The residence then suffered more harm when another storm rolled via. 

Soon after numerous months of hoping to get Paul to full the career, the property owner submitted a complaint with Bossier Metropolis police. The home owner advised investigators Paul admitted to not obtaining funds to shell out her back again or to total the occupation, Cavanaugh mentioned. 

Paul is not even permitted to do that kind of perform, Cavanaugh said. Paul is only permitted by the condition to do non-household perform up to $70,000 in value. 

KTBS talked with Paul 2 times on the cellphone. He canceled a scheduled on-digicam interview on the early morning it was to consider spot. Starr made many trips to Paul’s business on Youree Travel but no just one was there.

Tommy Wimbley, one of the home owners who stated he paid out Paul’s contractor, Coleman, $11,000 for get the job done that was in no way completed, recorded his discussion with Paul on his cell telephone. Paul is recorded as saying he was going to choose care of the undone operate on Wimbley’s property. Wimbley’s reaction: “You been telling me that for the previous 5 months.”

Wimbley blames Coleman as staying the “mastermind” powering the complications with the organization and describes Paul as a “contractor with a license to steal.”

As KTBS documented Thursday, Coleman is a convicted felon, having been two times convicted of home advancement fraud. He’s been requested to spend restitution of above $36,000 to two victims.

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Bossier Metropolis police say any other householders in the town who have unfinished operate by contracts with Paul or his firm should really contact them and file experiences.