Vermilion police are investigating a scam involving individuals who pose as paving contractors and target local businesses with inflated invoices for unauthorized work.
According to police, the suspects approach business owners claiming they have leftover asphalt from a nearby job and offer to fill potholes at a low price per square foot. Once the offer is accepted, the crew begins work—but instead of filling potholes, they repave large sections of the parking lot without permission.
In one reported case on the 4500 block of Liberty Avenue, a business owner contacted police after a man arrived uninvited and began partial paving. The owner later received a bill for tens of thousands of dollars, despite not consenting to the work. When the owner contacted the company listed on the invoice, the company denied any involvement and said they had received previous complaints about someone impersonating their business.
Investigators say the suspect identified himself as “Henry Stanley” and claimed to work for a legitimate paving company. The individual has reportedly used multiple fraudulent business names and has been linked to similar scams across the country. The invoices in the two known Vermilion cases were each for $50,000.
Police believe the crew is part of a traveling group committing this type of fraud in multiple states and note that arrests have occurred in similar cases elsewhere.
Both Vermilion police and the Huron County Sheriff’s Office have issued warnings on social media urging business owners and residents to be cautious. Authorities recommend verifying any unsolicited contractors and reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement immediately.
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