I-Team: Man Scams Unemployed, Owes Victims Thousands
BOSTON (CBS) - Brad Hall says the lies began when it was time for his former employer, Paul Darcy Jr., to pay up.
"I can't tell you how many different lies, there were lies upon lies and lying about the lies," said Hall.
Darcy is a self-proclaimed entrepreneur behind the internet advertising start-up TheClassifiedBoard.com.
Brad saw Darcy's job listing for a human resources manager on Craigslist and thought it was a good match.
He signed this contract with a $1,200 week salary and worked for Paul Darcy for one month but was never paid a dime.
The I-Team discovered he wasn't the only one shortchanged.
We contacted 15 other employees.
Some were out hundreds, others thousands.
And after more digging the I-Team found this wasn't the first time Paul Darcy's employees were ripped off.
In 2010 it was a different company, Laborlands.com, but the same deal.
Most of his hires were unemployed but a few say they gave up other job opportunities to work for the man they call "a cheat and evil thief who never paid."
Complaints have been filed online, with police and the attorney general.
WBZ-TV's Kathy Curran reports
Attorney General Martha Coakley says her office recovered $4.6 million in restitution for workers like Brad Hall last year.
"We're talking about non-payment of wages, potential for breach of contract, certainly anyone who has worked wants restitution, wants to be paid. The last thing we need in this economy is people working and not getting paid. State law provides that you are entitled to a day's pay for a day's work," said Coakley.
So who is Paul Darcy?
Well he's 24 years old. He still lives with mom and dad in their Ashburnham home.
He agreed to sit down with us to try to explain why he never paid his employees.
He says he made a very big mistake.
Darcy said, "I'm sorry and I wish it didn't have to happen like this. It was a regrettable mistake. They have a reason to be upset but it was absolutely with the best intentions."
Darcy says he wanted to run a successful business but went about it the wrong way.
He's a high school grad with no college degree who brags online that he owns his own company.
He's made some partial payments to a few of his employees but in many cases promises were made and broken.
"Money talks and that's what it's going to take. I can apologize all I want but they're not gonna want to deal with anything I say except money in their hand," he added.
Brad Hall said he'll believe it when he sees the money.
"This guy has come up with excuse after excuse after excuse and when you think he runs out with them there are more."
Paul Darcy Jr. says he'll pay up whether it takes one year or three but his former employees have heard that before.
They say they'll believe it when the cash is in hand.
The attorney general has given one employee who filed a complaint in this case what's called a private right to action, which allows that person to sue for triple damages.
If you're owed wages from Mr. Darcy, or from any other employee, you can file a complaint with the Attorney General on her website.
