Ohio AG sues contractor still at large, accused of scamming Dayton-area tornado victims

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit Thursday against a contractor accused of exploiting homeowners following the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes in the Dayton area. The contractor, Robert T. Greene, has been wanted on active warrants for more than a year.

The lawsuit accuses Greene, 54, through his business TK Home Improvement LLC, of soliciting homeowners whose property was damaged by the tornado outbreak and taking nearly $100,000 in payments between May 2019 and February 2020 but performing shoddy work or no work at all, according to complaints received by Yost’s Consumer Protection Section.

“This grifter took advantage of homeowners who had been through a harrowing experience and were trying to rebuild and repair their lives,” Yost said. “This was a heartless con that we will rectify in court.”

Greene already has warrants out for his arrest. He was charged in February 2020 with 20 felony and two misdemeanor counts of theft involving 10 victims. The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office says his company went to tornado-damaged areas, entered into contracts for repairs, and either completed only partial work or did no work. Most of the charges estimate losses at more than $1,000.

Greene also has a 2019 warrant out for his arrest on area theft charges. He has been convicted of theft three times for contractor-related accusations: twice in 2012 and once in 2013.

The attorney general’s lawsuit lists a Greenville address for Greene.

“Our investigators went to that address and were unsuccessful in locating the defendant. At that time, the information was also given to the Darke County Sheriff’s Office,” said Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Greg Flannagan.

Darke County Sheriff’s Office officials say they checked the Greenville address several times and have not located Greene.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court alleges Greene violated the Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act.

Greene’s business was registered at a home address in Dayton, where Yost said his office contacted him several times to try to resolve the complaints. Greene did not respond to the complaints, the release stated.

As part of the lawsuit, Yost is seeking an injunction to prohibit Greene and his business from operating.

The attorney general’s office filed a separate lawsuit last year against Brandon Valandingham, whose business Buckeye Storm Solutions was accused of taking money for tornado repairs and not doing the work. Trial in that case is schedule for April. Valandingham was sentenced to three years in prison in October after pleading no contest to theft charges.

Complaints or issues regarding potential scams can be reported at www.OhioProtects.org or by calling (800)-282-0515.

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