VAN BUREN COUNTY, Mich. — A Van Buren County man has been arrested on two charges related to a contractor fraud scheme.
Gordon Leighton, 58, of the Lawton area is charged with a felony count of contractor fraud and a misdemeanor count of being an unlicensed residential builder.
According to the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, the incident originally was reported last August when victims came forward with concerns regarding hiring Leighton to rebuild their home after it had been destroyed in a fire. The victim received a payout from the insurance company and paid Leighton to build their family a new home back in November 2022 and the family had been living in an apartment for nearly two years during Leighton's alleged rebuild.
Sheriff Dan Abbott said Leighton had started construction by pouring a foundation in January 2023, but that the last time any work was done was in October 2023. He said the home has stood as just "a stick frame house" with no siding or interior work being completed since that time.
The family already has paid more than $95,000 for the remaining construction.
The investigation found that Leighton was operating without a license and had been moving funds around from other jobs to cover the costs on other constructions.
Abbott said this doesn't appear to be an isolated incident and the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office expects more victims to come forward.
