The Office of the Attorney General added four more counts of embezzlement against Oklahoma contractor Benjamin Moore in Pottawatomie County District Court.
Moore was charged in October with nine counts of felony embezzlement and a pattern of criminal offenses following an investigation by Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s Consumer Protection Unit. Initially, Moore was accused of scamming $85,000 from nine customers for construction projects that were never completed.
He now faces 13 counts of felony embezzlement for taking more than $134,000 from 14 customers.
Moore allegedly scammed his consumers while doing business as Moore Construction. Victims of the scam are located throughout northeastern Oklahoma, and several are elderly consumers.
Drummond said he is committed to holding accountable anyone who engages in corrupt business practices to defraud Oklahoma consumers.
“I have no tolerance for scam artists and fraudsters who take advantage of hardworking Oklahomans,” he said. “My office is committed to uncovering fraud and holding offenders accountable. I encourage Oklahomans who feel they have been victimized to contact my office so we may work to protect them and deliver justice.”
Drummond encourages anyone who believes they may have been a victim of contractor fraud to contact the Consumer Protection Unit at 1-833-681-1895 or at www.oag.ok.gov/consumer-protection.
The amended filing can be read here.
Every person arrested or charged is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.
Source: AG release