Been Cheated By...

In The News: Poor Health, Foreclosure Bill, Change Scam

Poor health keeps man out of jail: Fraudster sentenced to community service

A dying “scoundrel” who scammed 42 people out of roughly $700,000 by failing to pay them for the sale of their consigned vehicles has avoided prison.

Darrel Coulson, 53, was yesterday given a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community after a judge accepted he has only three to six months left to live.

DEADLY HEALTH CONDITION

Provincial court Judge Michael Allen said he would have sentenced Coulson to four years in a penitentiary, but for his deadly medical diagnosis.

Weekly News Roundup - Foreclosure Bill Approved

Foreclosure Fraud Bill OK’d - The state Legislature approved a bill to protect homeowners going into foreclosure from being scammed by so-called “foreclosure rescue services.”

Law and order

Police seek woman who scammed store clerk

ATHENS - Police are looking for a woman who scammed a convenience store clerk out of almost $200, Capt. Marty Bruce said.

The scam happened April 25 at Lee’s Texaco, U.S. 72 and Lindsay Lane.

The woman gave the clerk a $100 bill to pay for a bottle of water, Bruce said. After the clerk gave the woman her change, the woman asked for the $100 bill back and gave the clerk a small bill to pay for the water but didn’t return the change, he said.