Cooper
RALEIGH, N.C. (Legal Newsline) - North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper announced on Friday that a Forsyth County man has been ordered by a court to stop performing driveway paving and gravel work.
The request for a temporary restraining order, approved by Wake County Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens, names Lige Bobby Boswell as well as his companies -- Katidid Paving, AJ Paving, Absolute Paving and Skyline Paving.
Cooper sought the restraining order following six complaints received by the Consumer Protection Division and 19 complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau in Winston-Salem against Boswell. Cooper is also seeking to permanently ban Boswell from driveway work, civil penalties and refunds for consumers.
Additionally, Boswell faces criminal charges in Chatham, Johnston and Harnett counties.
"Paving scams often pop up in different parts of the state, change company names frequently and disappear when consumers catch on to their con," Cooper said. "By being vigilant and not giving into high-pressure tactics, homeowners can protect their money and help us catch the scammers."
Boswell, Cooper alleges, approached homeowners, especially seniors, with an offer to pave or gravel their driveway at a large discount with leftover materials from a nearby job.
Work was usually done before a consumer even signed a contract and, when the work was done, Boswell demanded a much larger payment, Cooper says. Homeowners complained that Boswell tried to intimidate them physically if they contested the new price, it is alleged.
Complaints were also filed about the quality of Boswell's paving work, alleging that the pavement or gravel would begin to wash away quickly and that grass began growing through the driveway soon after the job was finished.
Boswell is believed to have offered driveway paving and graveling services in North Carolina for at least the past 15 years. He allegedly operated under numerous company names in various parts of the state.
Cooper's office had warned Boswell previously against failing to give customers written notice of their three day right to cancel his services under state law.