AN 80 YEAR-OLD WOMAN STEPS FORWARD TONIGHT ... SAYING SHE'S THE LATEST VICTIM RIPPED OFF BY AN ARTIFICIAL TURF COMPANY IN ALBUQUERQUE .. THE F-B-I IS INVESTIGATING REAL TURF'S OWNER FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. BUT OUR ERIC KAHNERT FOUND OUT TODAY--- THE COMPANY IS STILL IN BUSINESS. HE'S LIVE ON WYOMING NEAR LOMAS. ERIC? NOT ONLY DID THE F-B-I RAID REAL TURF AND PUTTING GREENS' RECENTLY ... THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYS THEIR PHONES HAVE BEEN RINGING OFF THE HOOK WITH ALLEGATIONS OF SHODDY BUSINESS PRACTICES. REAL TURF AND PUTTING GREENS -- HAS BEEN A REAL PROBLEM FOR 80 YEAR OLD WIDOW TOMMIE HARRIS. TAPE 1---50:18 'I feel mad, real mad.-3'BUGS TORE UP HARRIS' LAWN LAST YEAR ... TAPE 1---NAT 57:06 'this was beautiful grass in here.-3' SO SHE CALLED REAL TURF -- WHICH INSTALLS FAKE GRASS. TAPE 1---48:57 'it was going to cost about 6,000 dollars, and they needed half down.- 6'THAT HALF, HARRIS SAYS, IS NOW HISTORY. TAPE 1---49:08 'when they didn't show, and didn't show, I began wondering about it.-5' AND THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU SAYS SHE'S NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER WHO WANTED GREEN GRASS -- BUT ENDED UP LOSING GREEN. WE READ THROUGH ALMOST A DOZEN COMPLAINTS, ONE CUSTOMER WRITES 'the service has been terrible' THE F-B-I RAIDED REAL TURF ON MARCH FIRST AFTER ALLEGATIONS THE OWNER DEFRAUDED A BANK ... BY CREATING FAKE INVOICES TO GET A BIGGER LOAN. WE TRACKED DOWN RICK WICKENS TO GET SOME ANSWERS. TAPE 2--19:40 'no comment on the FBI investigation? No comment. No comment, anything about the allegations of bank fraud? No comment. Is it still a business? No comment have a great day. Okay, thank you.-14' WHILE ITS UNKNOWN WHETHER WICKENS IS STILL DOING WORK ... THE CITY SAYS REAL TURF'S BUSINESS LICENSE IS STILL ACTIVE, AND THE F-B-I SAYS THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO STAY OPEN. WE SHOWED UP AT THE BUSINESS TODAY... BUT NO ONE CAME TO THE DOOR. AND HARRIS SAYS NO ONE ANSWERS THE PHONE EITHER. TAPE 1---53:04 'i think the kind of people that pull things like that should be ridden out of town on a rail.-5'I SPOKE TO A FORMER REAL TURF EMPLOYEE TONIGHT -- HE CLAIMS WICKENS STILL OWES HIM AND OTHER EMPLOYEES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN BACKPAY. THE F-B-I IS STILL INVESTIGATING. REPORTING LIVE IN NORTHEAST ALBUQUERQUE, EKEYWN4. FIVE ALBUQUERQUE MEN ARE BEHIND BARS IN
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Added: Dec 15, 2007 |
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