Portmore furniture maker slapped with several fraud charges

A Portmore furniture maker has been slapped with several fraud charges over complaints filed by customers with the police.

Forty-three-year-old Ricardo Chambers, of Edgewater, is charged with three counts of fraudulent conversion, three counts of non-delivery of goods and services on a contracted date, and three counts of misleading and deceptive conduct.

The police say the incidents occurred between January and June 2022.

The Portmore Police reported that in January 2022, Chambers was contracted by a woman to build a king-sized bedroom set.

She reportedly paid $175,000 as a down payment and was told the balance should be paid in March when the job is completed.

Chambers, however, did not deliver on his contract and instead went into hiding.

Further, the police say in April 2022 a man reportedly contacted Chambers via an Instagram account, where his business was advertised.

The man reportedly contracted him to build a dresser and two night tables.

He made a down payment of $60,000 with the balance to be paid upon completion of the job.

Chambers again did not complete the job and neither did he provide a refund.

Chambers was again paid $90,000 as a deposit by a woman in June 2022 to build a dresser, scheduling the balance to be paid upon completion of the job.

He again failed to honour the contract and again went into hiding.

All complainants made reports to the police and a probe was launched.

Chambers was subsequently arrested and charged.

His court date is being arranged.

Meanwhile, the police are inviting other members of the public who may have been victims of fraud to contact the Portmore Criminal Investigations Branch at 876-949-8403.

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