PEORIA, Ill. – At least one of the people allegedly swindled by the now former owner of Murray Custom Cabinetry says he’s breathing a sigh of relief now that the man’s been arrested on sixteen felony Deceptive Practices counts.
Greg Crowe gave Thomas Murray, 35, $15,000 as a down payment for new kitchen cabinetry in his older Peoria home.
“If we’re again not going to get our products, if we’re not going to get our money back, there has to be accountability for so much money taken from so many people that just disappeared with nothing to show for,” said Crowe, to 25 News.
Crowe tells 25 News he didn’t feel like his voice was being heard, until about a dozen other people came forward as well.
Murray allegedly took $106,000 dollars from around a dozen customers. He has recently just filed bankruptcy, and claimed he was selling his Pekin home in order to pay customers back.
The Better Business Bureau’s Central Illinois CEO, Jessica Tharp, says the customers all did the right things, getting written agreements and using a good contractor.
“It’s in our DNA to make sure this community has solid businesses that are committed to trust and integrity and making people informed when there are those that are not,” said Tharp, to 25 News.
Murray’s BBB accreditation was revoked after he allegedly received more than a dozen complaints in a year. Peoria County Court records showed a number of small claims and other cases filed against him in recent years.
Murray remains in jail. No word on when he will be in court.
