Dang! Arrow Upholstery rip off! Unbelievably sick!

[CosmicCowboy]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Elder_fraud_case_costs_upholsterer.html

Elder fraud case costs upholsterer

By Craig Kapitan - Express-News

A well-known local upholstery business was ordered to pay more than $100,000 in fines Monday after pleading no contest to trying to charge an elderly customer more than $62,000 for drapes that cost them $2,250 to purchase and install.

Arrow Upholstery & Drapery was ordered to pay a $102,000 fine in the second-degree felony elder fraud case.

The company's owner, Sidney Lachman, wasn't in the 399th District Court when the ruling was issued. Neither was his son-in-law Scott Fahrenthold, who made the sale.

Attorney Jesse Sepulveda, who entered the no contest plea on behalf of the business, declined comment Monday.

Bertha Briggs, who lived in the Towers retirement community, contacted Arrow Upholstery in April 2006 to install five window drapes. The business initially charged her $62,000 but later agreed to reduce the amount to $11,300 after her daughter complained, according to court documents.

Despite the steep reduction, Briggs was still overcharged, her daughter, Sharon Morey, said in court documents.

Morey traveled from California to meet with the Bexar County district attorney's office in June 2006, after getting a call from her mother's bank attempting to verify a $35,000 down payment check to Arrow Upholstery.

The daughter said Briggs, who died this year, was 90 years old and her eyesight, hearing and memory were failing at the time the purchase was made.

“She had never been good with numbers or finances, and now whatever skill she once had is virtually gone,” Morey previously said in court documents. “She frequently says to anyone, including strangers, ‘I can't see, I can't hear, but otherwise I'm all right.'”

Briggs' relatives also weren't in court Monday.

It's rare but not unheard of for the district attorney's office to charge a corporation instead of an individual, according to prosecutor Joanne Woodruff. In such cases, there is no possibility of prison time, but a business can be fined up to twice the amount deemed fraudulently taken, she said.

Had an individual been prosecuted instead, the maximum fine would have been $10,000.

The key element that made this incident elder fraud instead of merely an unethical sale was Briggs' lack of mental facilities, Woodruff said.

“It's rarely a criminal offense to overcharge someone,” she said. “But due to the diminished capacity and the exorbitant price charged ... it became a criminal act.”

Woodruff suggested that elderly residents help avoid such scams by allowing a trusted relative to review bank statements.

As part of Monday's plea agreement, the employee who sold Briggs the curtains agreed to plead guilty at a later time in misdemeanor court to deceptive business practices.

[JudynTX]

They should be ashamed of themselves.


The daughter said Briggs, who died this year, was 90 years old and her eyesight, hearing and memory were failing at the time the purchase was made.

:(

[SpursStalker]

That's just fucked up!

I hate people who prey on the elderly

:nope

[Summers]

That's just fucked up!

I hate people who prey on the elderly

:nope

[Sportcamper]

It is just like that guy that wasted B2B time buying the 100k trailer then had a friend call to back out of the deal!

Boo Hoo I am old, I did not know what i was doing...

[Summers]

It is just like that guy that wasted B2B time buying the 100k trailer than backed had a friend call to back out of the deal! Boo Hoo I am old, I did not know what i was doing...

It's not the same.

[Bender]

It's not the same.
Sportcamper's mental facilities are in as bad of shape as the old lady's

[Sportcamper]

I am just saying that if you took away these senior citizens telephones & TV’s we would not have these problems…Home Shopping Club would be out of business…Some of these people are now buying things on the internet…We need tougher laws & regulation preventing senior citizens from buying things they don’t need & can’t afford…

[JudynTX]

I am just saying that if you took away these senior citizens telephones & TV’s we would not have these problems…Home Shopping Club would be out of business…Some of these people are now buying things on the internet…We need tougher laws & regulation preventing senior citizens from buying things they don’t need & can’t afford…

You will be old someday.

[mrsmaalox]

It's a shame, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Their prices are terribly inflated. But all the same, I love Sid Lachman. He's one of the coolest old dudes I've ever known. And I do mean old :lol I know a lot of people think he's an asshole, but to me he's always been a charming, smart-ass, cigar chomping, old school salesman. And I like Scott a lot too. I like that he gives me the details about the projects they've done at the Spurs' homes! Although Sid always told me he wondered about Scott and his business sense (putting it nicely). I feel sorry for the poor old lady and her family and I hope they can put this behind them and get back to normal. Same for Sid and his crew.

[CosmicCowboy]

It's a shame, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Their prices are terribly inflated. But all the same, I love Sid Lachman. He's one of the coolest old dudes I've ever known. And I do mean old :lol I know a lot of people think he's an asshole, but to me he's always been a charming, smart-ass, cigar chomping, old school salesman. And I like Scott a lot too. I like that he gives me the details about the projects they've done at the Spurs' homes! Although Sid always told me he wondered about Scott and his business sense (putting it nicely). I feel sorry for the poor old lady and her family and I hope they can put this behind them and get back to normal. Same for Sid and his crew.

And another old lady gets hustled...:lmao

[tlongII]

It's a shame, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Their prices are terribly inflated. But all the same, I love Sid Lachman. He's one of the coolest old dudes I've ever known. And I do mean old :lol I know a lot of people think he's an asshole, but to me he's always been a charming, smart-ass, cigar chomping, old school salesman. And I like Scott a lot too. I like that he gives me the details about the projects they've done at the Spurs' homes! Although Sid always told me he wondered about Scott and his business sense (putting it nicely). I feel sorry for the poor old lady and her family and I hope they can put this behind them and get back to normal. Same for Sid and his crew.

Sid and Scott sound like assholes to me.

[mrsmaalox]

And another old lady gets hustled...:lmao

Geez. I know their business practices are suspect; but personally I like those 2 men---so shoot me why don't you??

[CosmicCowboy]

Geez. I know their business practices are suspect; but personally I like those 2 men---so shoot me why don't you??

c'mon, smile. Just a little ribbin goin on here...:p:

[Extra Stout]

Hey, lay off! I make my living exploiting people. This touches a nerve.

[Slydragon]

Geez. I know their business practices are suspect; but personally I like those 2 men---so shoot me why don't you??

We won't but they may. Right in your bank account

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

I didn't realize B2B was no longer in the trailer selling b'niz.

[I am Tom]

It is a cover up.

[1369]

Shelly bought drapes?

Hi Shelly!

[Taco]

Wheres that freaking old lady looking over her glasses down her nose saying "i've gone back to them 3 times haven't i"

[JoeChalupa]

Arrow....Arrow Upholstery.

I guess they dance to a different tune.

[Notorious H.O.P.]

Don't like the price, don't buy it.

I like the diminished mental capacity parallel. Good Job.

[Notorious H.O.P.]

It's a shame, but I can't say I'm too surprised. Their prices are terribly inflated. But all the same, I love Sid Lachman. He's one of the coolest old dudes I've ever known. And I do mean old :lol I know a lot of people think he's an asshole, but to me he's always been a charming, smart-ass, cigar chomping, old school salesman. And I like Scott a lot too. I like that he gives me the details about the projects they've done at the Spurs' homes! Although Sid always told me he wondered about Scott and his business sense (putting it nicely). I feel sorry for the poor old lady and her family and I hope they can put this behind them and get back to normal. Same for Sid and his crew.

Yes, very likable gentlemen indeed.

This isn't bad business sense, this is malicious intent. And according to the news story they did a while back, this is a regular practice for them.

It's a shame that they couldn't attach jail time to this offense. These guys are Grade A Scumbags.

[Dex]

Just call Arrow....Arroooow Uphoooolsteryyyyyy.

That's all I have to contribute. :downspin:

[Sportcamper]

I can buy a candy bar at HEB for 75 cents or a case of them from Costco for about 40 cents per candy bar…I guess the grocery store has malicious intent & the manager should be thrown in jail because they charge more…

[ashbeeigh]

First thing i thought of was the song..the send thing I thought of after reading the story was b2b. I'm glad I wasn't the only one.

[mookie2001]

"i've gone back to them 3 times haven't i"


how was the price though bitch just tell us again

[gatoloco]

cool arrow upholstery.

[mrsmaalox]

how was the price though bitch just tell us again

Probably VERY high. I have never bought anything from them, just know them socially, but a friend had some upholstery done that seemed pretty steep to me. She could have just bought a new sofa I'm sure.

[PM5K]

As I recall a relative of mine wanted to get a chair reupholstered but Arrow wouldn't do it unless my relatives husband was there when they came by?????

[Notorious H.O.P.]

I can buy a candy bar at HEB for 75 cents or a case of them from Costco for about 40 cents per candy bar…I guess the grocery store has malicious intent & the manager should be thrown in jail because they charge more…

Are you seriously comparing the example you're giving with the situation that happened at Arrow?

In regards to the grocery store itself, 75 cents is a reasonable price to pay for a single candy bar if you don't want to drive to Costco and buy a case. Your case to prove malicious intent on their part fails.

However, if someone like yourself, or anyone of severely diminished mental capacity, goes to the grocery store and the manager takes advantage of your reduced abilities by selling the 75 cent candy bar to you for $250, then yes, he deserves to be punished. Is duping a person of reduced capacity out of $250 jail worthy? They would likely get fired, a fine and/or probation. Is duping a person of reduced capacity out of $50,000 - $60,000 jail worthy? You bet your ass it should be.

[BacktoBasics]

Interesting. I wonder who decides or what determines what a fair price is. This company can't proactively pursue whatever dollar amount they think they can get from a prospect?

I'm not saying that they didn't prey on her but if she was of sound mind its going to be tough to argue this one. Blind and/or deaf doesn't equate to stupid.