BUENA VISTA, Colo. — A Chaffee County family claims they were scammed out of nearly $30,000, saying a contractor they hired never did the job. The Chaffee County Sheriff's Office has launched an investigation that victims say spans several Colorado counties.
Matt and Erin Flavin moved to Buena Vista 18 years ago to start a family, and ended up starting two businesses along the way.
“Started a lawn business that saved us," said Matt Flavin, owner of Going Green K-Lawn, LLC. “We really busted our butts trying to trying to earn extra money and be able to do some fun things. And that business just kept growing and growing and growing. And we got to a position that we bought a piece of commercial property.”
The plan was to build a structure to store lawn equipment for the business. The Flavins claim they found Quinn Rudnitsky in September, and say he owned RMR Designs and Woodworking.
“We thought he was a good guy that was kind of just starting out, but turns out that he's not," said Erin. "We called him and asked if we could have references, and he gave us three. So I contacted all of them. He didn't get glowing reviews, they just told us that he worked really slow, that he didn't have a great work ethic, but that he did complete the project.”
The Flavins say they gave the contractor a down payment of $29,500, but claim they never saw any supplies on the property. In February, they say Rudnitsky stopped communicating with them, so they called the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office.
“We gave him everything. I mean, that's that was all we had," Erin said. “To have worked as hard as we have and have that stolen from us, it just makes us sick.”
Now, the Flavins cannot find Rudnitsky. They say they've discovered other people who are in the same situation.
“They formed this victims group, and then that's when we found out he had done it to, I don't know, maybe 20 other people, multiple counties across the state," Erin explained. “I don't care if it's $5,000 or $35,000. It's not his money.”
The family reached out to Contact Denver7 to warn others about their situation.
“Of course, we want the money back," Erin said. "But I think mainly, I hope that he doesn't do it to anybody else.”
Contact Denver7 reached out to the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office. A spokesperson said the sheriff's office is investigating the matter.
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