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Man says he's victim of fraud suspect

A Patterson man says a contractor, who was arrested last week in Morgan City for allegedly receiving payment for home improvement work he never completed, did the same thing to him a year ago.
Vincent Businelle of Patterson said that he paid Archie Vining Jr. $950 in May 2017 to install a bathtub at his home. But Vining never did the work, and hasn’t been charged with a crime in that incident, Businelle said.
Vining, 69, of Morgan City, was arrested Friday on a charge of home improvement fraud in a separate case in Morgan City.
The arrest stemmed from a Morgan City police investigation that began May 24, 2018, into a home improvement fraud complaint. In that case, Vining was allegedly compensated over $17,000 for home improvement services that were never completed, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release. Vining was released from jail on $5,000 bail.
Businelle said he contacted Patterson police shortly after the May 2017 incident but was told police couldn’t do anything because the case was a “civil matter.” The Daily Review left a message Wednesday with the Patterson Police Department to speak with a detective in regard to Businelle’s complaint, but hadn’t received a call back as of Thursday morning.
After going to Patterson police, Businelle went to St. Mary Parish Ward 5 Justice of the Peace David Hill. Businelle provided The Daily Review with a document showing that Hill awarded a judgment in Businelle’s favor on Sept. 25, 2017, and stated that Vining be required to pay Businelle $950 with 9 percent interest from Sept. 30, 2017, until paid, plus court costs. Hill confirmed that he did handle Businelle’s case.
However, Businelle said he hasn’t received any payment from Vining and that Vining has never shown up for any court dates in the case. Businelle spent another $200 pursuing the civil case against Vining in addition to the $950 he paid Vining for contractor services that were never performed, he said.
The Daily Review tried to reach Vining for comment at two different phone numbers, but was unable to reach him at either number.

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