GOBLES, Mich. -- Ron Cummins, a Vietnam veteran, says a contractor stripped him of a chunk of his life savings. He was hoping to have a new pole barn built but says Scott Henning took his money and ran.
Cummins says he had no reason to believe Henning would cash his check the same day and disappear. After all, he said Henning came by referral from his son-in-law. However, a little more research shows Cummins is not Henning's first alleged victim.
“(I) wrote him a check for $5,060.09," Cummins said.
“Found out he cashed the check the same day at some credit union," he recalled.
Cummins says Henning never came back.
“I was counting on this guy. He talked well (and) come across well," he described.
Cummins said Henning promised a discount on materials by going through a major home improvement store, but a phone call to that store on July 12th proved nothing was purchased.
“So then I started thinking 'this ain’t right'," Cummins said.
The veteran reached out to the FOX 17 Problem Solvers. It turns out Scott Henning has a prison record and was sentenced for false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000 in 2015.
FOX 17 called him on this latest accusation and left a message. A week and a half went by, but Henning never called back. So FOX 17 paid a visit to his last known address. It's not clear if anyone was home, but no one came to the door.
Cummins says he scraped together some money and paid someone else to build the pole barn. However, he's hoping Henning does the right thing and pays him back.
"I'm a retired vet from Vietnam, and this is my life savings," he said.
Cummins said, "I wish he'd come across with the $5,000... the check I wrote for him."
"I would really be happy," he said.
Cummins says he filed a police report. The Allegan County Sheriff's Department told FOX 17 the case has been forwarded to the prosecutor's office for review.
If you’re hiring a contractor remember to always check for licensing. It's not failproof but can provide recourse in the event something goes wrong. State records do not show any type of license for Scott Henning.
