Roofing fraud victim: 'He's a swindler'

BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Kent County authorities say a contractor scammed several customers out of thousands of dollars.

Jason Cooper of AJK Home Improvements was arrested Friday in connection to five fraud complaints. In each case, police say, Cooper was paid money for construction work that was never started or completed.

"He's a swindler and he's good at it," said Dr. Greg Fraley of Byron Township, who is among those who claim he paid Cooper for work that never got done.

Fraley hired Cooper in November 2011 to fix the roof on the barn that shelters his cows. He had seen Cooper working on his neighbor's house and liked what he saw.

"He came over and sat down with us," Fraley said. "He had this huge notebook showing past jobs and everything looked great. I saw his business license, made a copy of his business license."

And, Fraley said, Cooper's estimate of about $5,000 was good.

"Maybe too good to be true," he said.

According to Fraley, Cooper asked for about $3,000 -- about 60% of the total estimate -- up front to cover material expenses. Fraley paid him, but Cooper never came back to finish the task.

"He never even showed up with as much as a hammer," Fraley said. "He took our money and that was the last we ever saw from him again."

Fraley continued to call and attempt to meet with Cooper.

"He kept blaming the weather, but then as you recall last winter was a very mild winter," said Fraley.

Communication stopped after months without progress.

Fraley called the authorities in April to find Cooper when it became unlikely he would get his money back. When police found Cooper, they gave him one more chance to return the money.

As of last Thursday, police say, Cooper had failed to supply the materials or begin the work.

"He never ended up paying," said Lt. Ron Gates of the Kent County Sheriff's Department. "Even after being contacted by the police."

Cooper now faces felony false pretenses over $1,000 charges. At the time of his arrest, he was on bond in an unrelated felony case.

Police say since that April report, four similar fraud complaints were filed with the Kent County Sheriff's Department and the Walker Police Department involving Cooper and AJK Home Improvements.

Phil Catlett, president of the Better Business Bureau of West Michigan, said the BBB has been aware of complaints against Cooper for some time.

"Over the last six to nine months, we've received nine or 10 calls from unhappy consumers," said Catlett.

Catlett said contractors normally ask for some of the money right away, but also said Cooper's actions are similar to someone who is in financial trouble.

"They have to take another job to get more cash flow in to take care of the last job," Catlett said.

The BBB also recommends vetting contactor s thoroughly before paying them.

The sheriff's department said there may be even more victims out there and customers to check carefully before hiring someone for work.

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Better Business Bureau of West Michigan