Kirby Vacuum Company
Crime Chronology
Compiled:
DATELINES: REGION
COMPANY LOSES IN RAPE SUIT
Author: Herald wire reports
The state Supreme Court upheld a $150,000 jury award
Wednesday to a woman who was raped by a Kirby vacuum cleaner salesman in her
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Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Jury award shows need
for background checks, lawyer says
Author: Associated Press
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Dateline: Neillsville
A con man serving
jail time for bilking an elderly woman out of $30,000 pleaded guilty Tuesday
to violating his work-release rules when he went to a
The other charges accuse Heath of:
Selling a Kirby vacuum cleaner to an elderly woman in
Selling as many as 11 vacuum cleaners and
seven carpet shampooers in
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Man sought in senior
scam arrested
A vacuum cleaner salesman who allegedly used his sales
techniques to scam elderly residents out of more than $100000 was arrested in
Raymund Michael Crawford 39 of Thousand Oaks was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of grand theft burglary and writing bad checks said Oxnard Police Department Detective Ken Kent.
Crawford acted as a Kirby Vacuum Cleaner salesman and after
selling to his victims he would recontact them to try
to persuade them to invest in business ventures
Detectives believe Crawford promised high interest rate return on investments but either failed to pay at all paid only small amounts or paid with bad checks.
Crawford allegedly bilked senior citizens from Oxnard
Camarillo and
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Teen charged with
stealing deluxe vacuum
A would-be vacuum cleaner salesman has been charged in Cascade County District Court with theft of the demonstration model he was issued at the end of his training.
Jeffrey John Lanners, 18,
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Firm liable for rape
by employee
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Persistent salesman
who frightened homeowner is indicted
The eager pursuit of a sale has landed a Kirby vacuum
cleaner salesman in court. When no one answered his knock on the front door of
a
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The
Convicted bank robber
charged in more robberies, plot
A vacuum cleaner salesman already convicted of robbing a
Gregory Earl Jones and fellow Kirby Vacuum Cleaner salesman Steven Wayne Mendenhall got the idea to rob a bank after watching the television show "Cops," according to court documents filed by FBI Special Agent Todd Sandstedt in 1998.
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Woman claims vacuum
salesman groped her
According to the lawsuit, Bush let White and another, unidentified Kirby salesman come into her house to show her how the Kirby vacuum cleaner works. After the salesmen completed the demonstration, the unnamed agent used Bush's bathroom and left the house.
Bush broke free, but White followed her around performing a sex act, according to the suit. After he finished, he told Bush "he would come back to her residence later that evening, to determine if she would be interested in purchasing the Kirby vacuum cleaner," according to the suit.
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Salesman accused of
scam
AP. Columbian.
Mickey Brown was ranked among the top 10 distributors three
times during his 17 years selling Kirby vacuums in
Johnny "Mickey" Brown and Lili Andersen Brown allegedly took money for vacuum cleaners from their customers and instead invested it in real estate, according to lawsuits and complaints seeking nearly $4 million filed with the state.
U.S. Bank has the largest claim, seeking $3.4 million in its
lawsuit that accuses the
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www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/kirby_salesman.html
Kirby Salesman Swept
Up in Crackdown
A Kirby vacuum cleaner salesman was arrested and charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person, theft by deception, harassment through electronic communications, and violation of the
Thomas Schierer, 37, of
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Door-to-door peddlers
arrested
WAPELLO, Iowa - Four Des Moines-area men were arrested Sunday evening by Wapello police after a local resident complained to authorities that they were going door-to-door selling Kirby vacuum cleaners.
According to a Wapello Police Department report, Aaron Alexander, Michael Feller and Johnathan Johnston were charged July 25 with peddling without a license.
A fourth man, Dallas Gamble, was arrested at a Wapello residence during a demonstration. Gamble was charged with peddling without a license as well as possession of a controlled substance, suspected methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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CLERMONT,
Girl Sexually Assaulted By Traveling Salesmen, Police Say
The two teenage men were going door to door in a Clermont-area neighborhood offering
carpet-cleaning services, WESH News Channel 2 reported.
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CUSTOMERS REACH
LAWSUIT DEAL WITH VACUUM SELLER ; TWO WOMEN SAY THEY
WERE AGGRESSIVELY PRESSURED TO
BUY KIRBY VACUUM
CLEANERS.
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Times Tribune
Door-to-door salesman
guilty of sex offenses
A
A seven-woman, five-man jury deliberated more than six hours
before finding Delmar Hooks, 27, of
Police alleged Mr. Hooks, a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman, sexually assaulted a 15-year-old Clarks Summit girl who allowed him into her residence twice the evening of March 9.
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Former salesman ordered to pay $12 million for credit-card misuse;
The
Oregonian.
A former vacuum cleaner salesman accused of bilking more than 100 customers by misusing their credit cards, has come up on the short end of a $12 million civil judgment.
U.S. District Court Judge Ancer Haggerty's ruling, sought by U.S. Bank National Association, found that John Henry Brown, also known as Mickey Brown, did not refute evidence showing that he committed breach of contract, fraud and violations of the Racketeering Influence Corruption Act, or RICO.
www.wnbc.com/news/10249571/detail.html
Vacuum Salesman
Charged With Burglary, Grand Larceny
Police said 24-year-old Giovanny
Martinez took the car keys left near the front door of the home and drove off
Saturday about
Queens was arrested on charges of burglary and grand larceny.
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Vacuum salesman charged in burglary Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Kirby Trade Group: Direct Selling Association May 30, 2009 Vacuum salesman charged in burglary By SARAH SUTSCHEK - ssutschek@nwherald.com Northwest Herald nwherald.com Created: Saturday, May 30, 2009 1:15 a.m. CDT Northwest Herrald nwherald.com Crystal Lake, Illinois Read This Story |
You Tube: Grandmother survives torture and kidnapping.
You Tube: Man Found Guilty Of Kidnapping And Torturing A Grandma!!!
December 14, 2009, KFMB-TV, San Diego California
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Grandmother's Attacker Found Guilty DMPG Research: Door-to-Door Magazine Sales Company: Court Documents reveal that Jeffrey Edward Nelson Worked for: Kirby Vacuum End DMPG Research December 14, 2009 Grandmother's Attacker Found Guilty Reported by: Elex Michaelson Email: elex.michaelson@sandiego6.com San Diego 6 the CW (XETV-TV) Last Update: 12/14/2009 11:53 pm  75-year-old Sandy Vinge underwent a 26 hour nigfhtmare when she was kidnapped, beaten and thrown in the trunk of her car. EL CAJON--20-year-old Jeffrey Edward Nelson looked unemotional and sat motionless as a jury convicted him of attempted murder and torture of 76-year-old Natalie "Sandy" Herbst Vinge. View streaming video (.AVI) of this story Please be patient. This video may take a couple of minutes to load. Streaming video load times vary with your internet speed connection. In December of last year, Vinge was kidnapped from her La Mesa home, beaten, and put in the trunk of a car. She was eventually saved by a Sheriff who pulled over her captors for a traffic violation. Vinge was able to make enough noise to get the Sheriff's attention, who helped free her. More than a year later, Vinge has mostly healed from her bruises and is grateful she does not have to worry about Nelson returning to her door. "I'm so pleased because if they had let him go, I wouldn't have been able to live here, I'd have to move." She thanked all her friends and family who helped her get through this difficult time. She also was grateful the jury did not take Nelson's side. "Some people may have thought he was nicer, because he was being very nice in court, but he's not nice" she said. Prosecutor Paul Greenwood said Vinge was one of the most "remarkable" people he's ever met. "In all the cases I've handled in the last 13 years of elder abuse cases, every victim is special but she demonstrated amazing qualities. I don't know how any of us could have gone through the ordeal that she went through." The jury only took 3 hours to reach this decision. "The worst part of a trial is waiting for the jury for a verdict...their quick verdict...I think sends a message." Nelson had already plead guilty to ten other counts including burglary and carjacking, but wanted to face a jury on the attempted murder and torture charges. His attorney, Bart Sheela, would not comment to media. He said he had "nothing good to say" and added he had flu-like symptoms and wanted to get home to take some cold medicine. Nelson faces a sentencing hearing on February at the Courthouse in El Cajon. His accomplice Luis Osborne has a status hearing for his only trial scheduled for December 21st. Vinge is looking forward to moving forward. "I am happy because this young man won't be able to do this to anybody else. And that's a strong concern of mine because there are ladies out there who are my age and who aren't as strong as I am." Email: elex.michaelson@sandiego6.com San Diego 6 the CW (XETV-TV) http://www.sandiego6.com San Diego, California Read This Story |
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Vaccum Salesman Charged With Indecent Liberties Of A Minor DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Vacuum Kirby Vaccum is a member of: Direct Selling Association Direct Selling Association Web Site Read The DSA Code of Ethices end DMPG Info May 28, 2010 Vaccum Salesman Charged With Indecent Liberties Of A Minor Carrie Hodgin WFMY News 2 Created: 5/28/2010 10:50:30 PM Updated: 5/29/2010 5:29:55 PM  WFMY News 2 http://www.digtriad.com Greensboro, North Carolina Read This Story |
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Consumer protection targets sellers, distributors of Kirby vacuums in state DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Vaccum Kirby Vaccum is a member of: Direct Selling Association Direct Selling Association Web Site Read The DSA Code of Ethices end DMPG Info November 9, 2010 Consumer protection targets sellers, distributors of Kirby vacuums in state The Middletown Press Published: Monday, November 08, 2010 The DPC is referring to the Office of the Attorney General for enforcement a case against The Kirby Co, The Scott Fetzer Company, United Consumer Financial Services, and all Connecticut distributors of Kirby products, Consumer Protection Commissioner Jerry Farrell announced Monday. “We allege that the Kirby and Scott Fetzer Companies, along with their distributors in Connecticut, have engaged in aggressive, high pressure and even unethical sales tactics, including in-home sales calls where sales representatives refuse to leave consumers’ homes, phone calls to consumers in violation of the state’s Telemarketing Act, selling used vacuum cleaners as new, targeting and preying on older residents,” Farrell said. “We also have numerous claims of consumers’ carpets that have been damaged during a sales call. We believe it’s time for a clean sweep of their business policies and practices.” United Consumer Financial Services, a national sales finance company specializing in consumer retail installment sales contracts owned by the Scott Fetzer Company, allegedly failed to ensure that Kirby dealers and representatives complied with laws pertaining to home solicitation sales contracts, including giving customers notice of the three-day right to cancel their purchase contract, and returning the consumer’s copy of the original contract upon cancellation. Farrell is asking the Attorney General’s Office to file a civil action against The Kirby Company, the Scott Fetzer Company, United Consumer Financial Services, and the following Connecticut distributors of Kirby products in order to protect consumers from the unfair, threatening and abusive business tactics alleged by consumers in their complaints: JMG Distribution in Waterbury area; RFR Enterprises in Naugatuck area; GP Industries of Norwich in Taftville area; SZ Enterprises in Orange area; K&M Distribution in Rocky Hill area; Golden Circle Distribution in Southington area and South Shore Distributing in Rocky Hill area. http://www.middletownpress.com Middletown, Connecticut Read This Story |
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State: Kirby's vacuum sales practices 'unethical' DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Vaccum Kirby Vaccum is a member of: Direct Selling Association Direct Selling Association Web Site Read The DSA Code of Ethices end DMPG Info November 9, 2010 State: Kirby's vacuum sales practices 'unethical' BY DAVID KRECHEVSKY REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN Tuesday, November 9, 2010 3:22 AM EST Jerry Farrell, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, asked the state attorney general's office Monday to pursue legal action against The Kirby Co., which uses independent distributors to sell its vacuums door-to-door nationwide. The legal action also would target Kirby's parent company, The Scott Fetzer Co., as well as United Consumer Financial Services and seven state-based independent distributors, including two in the region. In a news release Monday, Farrell said his department is "seeking a legal remedy and resolution that gives consumers adequate protection from the unfair sales practices of The Kirby Co. and its affiliates, as alleged in consumer complaints in the past two years." The tactics cited by consumers, he said, include in-home sales calls in which sales representatives refuse to leave; phone calls that violate the state's Telemarketing Act; selling used vacuums as new, and "preying" on the elderly. "We also have numerous claims of consumers' carpets that have been damaged during a sales call," Farrell said. The Kirby Co., based in Cleveland, is a subsidiary of The Scott Fetzer Co., which itself is part of Berkshire Hathaway. United Consumer Financial Services, of Westlake, Ohio, is a national sales financing company specializing in retail installment sales contracts. It handles such contracts for The Scott Fetzer Co. In a statement e-mailed by spokeswoman Halle A. Haniewich, The Kirby Co. denied the state's allegations, saying the company "requires its distributors to operate their businesses in a manner that meets all applicable legal and ethical standards." The statement also said the company has attempted "throughout the year" to address concerns raised by the state, and "fully supports the DCP's desire to maintain the highest level of business practices" by companies doing business in Connecticut. The statement added that Kirby officials proposed a plan to hold its distributors to a standard "higher than that required by Connecticut law," and was "disappointed to learn today that, despite this cooperation, the DCP referred its investigation" to the attorney general's office. "The company is prepared to discuss this matter with the Office of the Attorney General," the statement concluded. In addition to its concerns about sales tactics, the state accuses United Consumer of failing to ensure that Kirby dealers and representatives complied with laws for sales contracts by not telling customers they have the right to cancel them within three days. Also targeted in the enforcement action are seven state distributors of Kirby products, including JMG Distribution Inc., at 2100 Thomaston Ave. in Waterbury, and RFR Enterprises, which according to the secretary of the state's office has a business address in Milford. The owner of the company is listed as Ronald F. Rossi, with a home address in Naugatuck. Other state-based distributors targeted included two in Rocky Hill and one each in Norwich, Orange, and Southington. The Kirby Co. said Monday that RFR is no longer a Kirby distributor. Rossi could not be reached for comment. Claudette Carveth, spokeswoman for the consumer protection department, said RFR is targeted because of its previous work with Kirby. "RFR was in business over the last five years, as of the time of the complaints and the DCP investigation," she said in an e-mail. "Apparently it was only at some point in 2010 that RFR was let go by Kirby as an independent distributor. Even though the business is gone, it can still be named in the complaint for alleged misdeeds at the time of our investigation, which also factors in with issues raised about the parent company, Kirby." Carveth added that, because the investigation continues, the identities of consumers who filed complaints with the state will remain confidential. Blumenthal issued a terse statement late Monday saying his office is reviewing the allegations "to determine what legal action is warranted." Chris Jackson, an official with JMG, said he was not aware of the state's claims and declined to comment, referring questions to Kirby officials. Last year, Kirby was the subject of an investigation by "Inside Edition," a nationally syndicated television program. The story, which aired March 9, 2009, in part featured a Connecticut couple, Brett and Rose Tomlin of Stafford Springs, who said their 89-year-old aunt was taken advantage of by an RFR Enterprises salesman. The elderly woman, who suffers from Alzheimer's, paid $1,700 for a 25-pound Kirby vacuum, they said. Representatives of The Scott Fetzer Co. and United Consumer Financial Services did not return calls seeking comment. http://www.rep-am.com Waterbury, Connecticut Read This Story |
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Carpet company manager cited for illegal solicitation DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Vaccum Kirby Vaccum is a member of: Direct Selling Association Direct Selling Association Web Site Read The DSA Code of Ethices end DMPG Info November 16, 2010 Carpet company manager cited for illegal solicitation Roberto Acosta | Flint Journal Published: Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 12:56 PM Updated: Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 1:52 PM http://www.mlive.com Flint, Michigan Read This Story |
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Kirby Sweeper Sales People Busted For Selling Drugs February 5, 2011 Kirby Sweeper Sales People Busted For Selling Drugs WTOV9 Saturday, February 5, 2011 | 4:40pm http://www.wtov9.com Steubenville, Ohio Read This Story |
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Salinas police see rise in fraudulent door-to-door salespeople DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Cleaner Sales Company: Kirby Vacuum end DMPG Info March 10, 2011 Salinas police see rise in fraudulent door-to-door salespeople Written by SUNITA VIJAYAN The Salinas Californian Filed Under News Crime 6:59 AM, Mar. 10, 2011 SAFETY TIPS Salinas police recommend individuals take the following steps to help protect themselves from fraudulent door-to-door salespersons: > Ask for identification, such as from the company itself, and the business license to make sure its legitimacy; > Make sure there is someone else home when you let the salesperson inside; > If the person appearance is unkempt, chances are they are not legitimate; > Call 911 if the person refuses to leave your residence. The Salinas Californian Filed Under News Crime http://www.thecalifornian.com Salinas, California Read This Story |
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Vacuum salesman arrested as fugitive in Chambersburg DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Trade Group: Direct Selling Association end DMPG Info September 13, 2011 Vacuum salesman arrested as fugitive in Chambersburg Public Opinion Online 09/13/11 Chambersburg Police said Kristoffer D. Johnson, 32, of 337 E. Washington St., was arrested at 140 N. Third St., about 9:40 a.m. after an officer received a tip. Police said Johnson was selling Kirby vacuum cleaners for a local distributor while using a false name. After Johnson was arrested, a false ID was found on him, police said. He did not cooperate and provide his actual identity, so he was taken to the police station and fingerprinted. Authorities in New York confirmed that the man was Johnson and that he is wanted. In a statement issued Tuesday, police did not indicate what charges Johnson faces in New York. He was charged as a fugitive from justice, arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Gary Carter and placed in Franklin County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail. http://www.publicopiniononline.com Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Read This Story |
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Vacuum cleaner salesman/entrepreneur gets 11 years in prison DMPG Info: Door-to-Door Sales Company: Kirby Trade Group: Direct Selling Association http://www.dsa.org Want to get a real chuckle then read the DSA code of ethics: http://www.dsa.org/ethics/code end DMPG Info December 29, 2011 Vacuum cleaner salesman/entrepreneur gets 11 years in prison Johnny Brown also ran Ponzi scheme along with sales By Barbara Sherman The Regal Courier, Dec 29, 2011 On May 11, 2011, a federal jury in Portland convicted Brown, then 56, on 14 counts, including evading income taxes from 1993 through 1995, seven counts of wire fraud and six counts of making false statements to a bank. Prosecutors had asked that Brown be sentenced to prison for 25 years, but U.S. District Judge Garr King issued the shorter sentence in front of a crowd of victims and friends who packed the Portland courtroom to hear the sentencing. "I truly hope this brings some inner peace to some of the elderly in the Tigard/King City area who are embarrassed by what happened," said a woman who has been closely following the six-year-long case. "It was very hard watching some of the victims testify about what has happened to them and how they are still dealing with the ramifications of the Browns' fraud years later." According to prosecutors, between 2001 and 2003 Brown defrauded 114 investors out of $5 million and cost US Bank $4 million. Brown sold Kirby vacuum cleaners out of at least two offices in King City and Tigard while also persuading customers to let him charge their credit cards to the limit so he could purchase more vacuum cleaners. In exchange, Brown would pay interest on loans and make the minimum credit card payments. About 10 percent of the money he collected did go to purchase more vacuum cleaners, but the rest was pocketed and used to cover ever-growing debt payments, according to prosecutors. The Regal Courier http://www.theregalcourier.com Tigard, Oregon Pamplin Media Group, Portland, Oregon Read This Story |
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