CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The 51-year-old Avon contractor indicted in connection with two schemes that totaled nearly $3 million is set to be arraigned Friday morning.
According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, starting in 2021, Jeffrey Crawford, owner of Cleveland Custom Homes, engaged in transactions with clients to build three homes in Cuyahoga County and Lorain County. The homes were valued at $1.3 million, $650,000 and $600,000.
The home loans for the building process required Crawford to sign and submit documentation to the banks, confirming the completion of the work phases and that the contractors had been paid. Before the banks released the next portion of the loan to Jeffrey Crawford and Cleveland Custom Homes, this documentation had to be submitted.
According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, Crawford forged and submitted these documents to the banks, falsely claiming the building work was completed and that the contractors had been paid. The houses were incomplete, and the workers were unpaid.
Crawford then used the next portion of loan funds for work on other projects or personal expenditures, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said.
In 2023, Crawford took money from three individuals in Cuyahoga County, Lorain County, and Trumbull County through his company.
He took the money as investments in his business, according to the release.
The investments were for $50,000, $300,000, and $80,000, totaling $430,000, and he promised to repay them with a profit.
Crawford failed to repay the investoments and even provided investors with checks that bounced.
As part of the scheme, Crawford then failed to repay the investments and provided some investors with checks that subsequently bounced.
The two schemes totaled $2.93 million and included six victims, according to the release.
Crawford was indicted on the following charges:
Investigators believe more victims of the schemes are likely to be out there.
If you have any information and/or believe you are a victim of Jeffrey Crawford or Cleveland Custom Homes, contact the USSS Money Laundering Task Force at 216-750-2058.
He will be indicted at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date.