CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As we approach the end of 2019, we wanted to revisit some of the top Troubleshooter stories we've reported on Action 10 News this year.
From a raid on the office of a Portland businessman to the resignation of the President of Coastal Bend College, Andy Liscano has covered it all.
Three weeks into the new year, officers from the IRS, FBI, Texas Department of Insurance and Portland Police raided the office of Portland businessman Fred Rich.
No arrests were made.
The Troubleshooters first began reporting on Fred Rich in November 2017.
Rich was already facing a deadline, imposed by the Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending, which, according to the department, would "benefit certain homeowners in San Patricio and Nueces counties."
It was anticipated that approximately 60 people who bought their homes from Rich would receive reductions in balances due or credits for items including late fees.The sums would total a minimum of $200,000 cumulatively.
Those credits had to be set out by Rich by Feb. 25.
The Troubleshooters began reporting on alleged LVN nursing program grade changes at Coastal Bend College in May 2018.
There was also an investigation of the school by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
On June 24, 2019, the school announced that President Dr. Beatriz Espinoza was out.
Not only that, also out were Dean of Workforce Training Julia Garcia, Espinoza's sister, and director of the college's Pleasanton campus.
Her contract was not renewed in April as we reported.
Nor was the contract of Vice President of Strategic Planning and Administration Shannon McCarron..
Executive Dean of Student Services Lupe Ganceres and Assistant Dean of Workforce Noemi Aguilar voluntarily retired.
In October, we reported on complaints against Texas Premier Roofing, and one of its owners, Amanda Cruz.
The Better Business Bureau had already begun its own investigation.
“There was numerous complaints regarding the workmanship of the company, and many of those complaints went unanswered,” said Jason Meza, the BBB’s regional director.
One of the customers who complained told us Cruz and her husband, kept asking her for more money, even though she claims she paid them a total of $6,000.
“If you don't give us the money, we're gonna put a lien on your house. and I kind of panicked, and I said, ‘Well for what? He said for breach of contract. I said no. The ones that have breached the contract are y'all,” a BBB report phoner indicated.
Here's Cruz's recollection of what happened on this job:
“Whenever we tore the roof off, we found that there was a lot of issues with the decking,” Amanda Cruz's recording said. “And whenever she was told about the issues, and we told her that it was going to be more money, she stated that she wasn't gonna pay any more money. That in fact, she wasn't going to pay us at all.”
This house on the city's west side was listed as the Texas Premier Roofing main office.
No one answered the door.
Miss Cruz tells us her business is out of business.
She also confirmed that in March, she was convicted of theft of property, and is on 5 years’ probation.
