Pool contractor accused of taking thousands from Minnesota families has a history of not paying vendors, subcontractors
MINNEAPOLIS --- The swimming pool contractor accused of taking tens of thousands of dollars from families without finishing the work owes more people money.
WCCO uncovered Charles, or Charlie, Workman has a history of non-payment to subcontractors and vendors. Since we started our investigation into Workman and MN Crete Pools, we discovered a troubling history with another company in his name: MPLS Concrete Restoration.
WCCO has been digging into outstanding payments, and allegations of bounced checks. Workman also owes money to the IRS.
Scot Brenner says he worked with Workman and his company Mpls Concrete Restoration.
"He basically told me he was getting into the swimming pool business as a concrete contractor, and there were some things we did that he didn't know how to do," Brenner said.
Brenner's company, Blue Fin Pool & Spa, agreed to help. And when it came time to get paid, Brenner said, "I kept pestering him to pay and he had excuses about not wanting to pay or why he couldn't.
According to an invoice, Workman owes Brenner $4,140, an amount he eventually had to write off.
"By the time we got to August, I got kinda suspicious he wasn't going to follow through on anything," Brenner said.
It's been nearly a year with no payment.
WCCO found non-payment seems to be a pattern with Workman. We uncovered civil lawsuits filed to recoup money for supplies and work done.
With a May arrest after a bench warrant was issued for contempt of court. Judgments for uncompleted jobs, this one also resulting in an arrest warrant.
Add to this thousands in unpaid invoices to a concrete company. We also found the IRS issued a lien for payment of back taxes.
WCCO discovered during that time Mpls Concrete Restoration received a $150,000 federal loan to help with the economic impact of COVID.
And it received two PPP loans. The government program started during the pandemic to help companies stay afloat and maintain payroll.
The company listed at Workman's Prior Lake home address received $292,400 in 2020. That's been forgiven. And another $330,400 last year.
David Vang is a professor of finance at the University of St. Thomas.
"You could use it directly for payroll expense, you also could use it for paying interest on loans, you could also use it for overhead," he said.
Vang says the program came with some complications.
"The speed that they wanted to get the funds out there and that meant we didn't have accountability, but at the same time we had to allow for the speed because otherwise the firms would've went under," Vang said.
The SBA tells WCCO payroll for W-2 employees would count for PPP loan forgiveness but does not allow for payments to independent contractors.
Days after the second PPP loan was approved, Workman registered a new LLC with the Secretary of State: MN Crete Pools. That's the same Workman company that several families paid tens of thousands of dollars for a pool, but the work was left unfinished. The state attorney general is now investigating.
In December, an employee's paycheck bounced.
The owner of a tree service Workman hired to clear lots for a few of the families showed us a check he says bounced.
Earl Gregoire cut down trees in a pinch to prepare for pools in backyards.
"Someone showed up with a check. Went straight to the bank, it immediately bounced," Gregoire said.
He says he eventually gave up trying to get paid. Adding another non-payment to Workman's growing list of those he owes.
"I hope he's stopped, because he shows no intention, from what I've seen, no intention of making this right. There's no way out of this for him it doesn't seem like," Gregoire said.
WCCO reached out to Workman. He texted that he's already released his statement. He previously told WCCO he overextended himself and planned to use new business to repay families waiting for swimming pools. His customers say that hasn't happened.
If you hired Workman, or didn't get paid by him, we want to hear from you. This investigation started with a viewer tip. E-mail Jennifer Mayerle at jlmayerle@wcco.com.
