- Report: #649408
Complaint Review: Roger Drake Simmons - Cherryville North Carolina
Reported By:
dukenwolfie -
Shelby, North Carolina, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Roger Drake Simmons
off Highway 150 Cherryville, 28021 North Carolina, United States of America
Phone:
704-466-5011
Web:
Categories:
Business Rating:
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Roger Drake Simmons "Chef Drake" thief, liar, scam-artist, crack head, gay Cherryville, North Carolina
My husband and I were severely ripped off by this conniving, lying thief. 'Drake' came to us last August (2009) with what seemed to be a great proposal. My husband and I were both recently unemployed, so we fell for it hook, line, and sinker.
He told us, "Let's go 50/50 on this little Ice Cream Shop I found in Cherryville, NC. It will only take about $1500 to get started. We'll have to put everything in your name though because my credit is bad, and nobody will give me a chance. But, I'm telling you, we can make a small fortune with this shop. It is currently making about $6000 a month in sales and profit just by selling ice cream! I guarantee you that with my 'expertise' we can double that. We'll add subs and salads and soups. I grew up here in Cherryville, and I have a broad customer base since I've been the head chef for numerous country clubs, so I'll bring in the customers....................blah, blah, blah!"
After my husband and I were heavily persuaded to buy into this scheme, we asked him where his 50% was going to come from. He told us, "Well, your 50% will be money, but my 50% will be my expertise, knowledge of running a business because I've been in the restaurant business for 30 years, and my broad customer base." Unfortunately, we thought he was joking, but turned out he was absolutely serious!
Well, here it is October (2010) and so far, this little business venture has cost us over $13,000. We have never seen a penny from this business. When we finally decided we had to close the business in July 2010 because we never once saw a month with a profit, it cost an additional $3200 just to close up the business. "Chef Drake" did not live up to his part of the deal.
The more we advertised using his moniker "Chef Drake" the more business we lost. People would come to the walk-up window to order their food, see him in the shop (with his huge belly covered by an apron), and walk back to their cars without ordering a thing! He embezzled several thousand dollars from the business, always saying that business was "slow" and he didn't have the money when it came time (15th of every month) to pay rent, electricity, water, etc.
He would spend hundreds of dollars A DAY running to Wal-Mart to replenish foods that he ate rather than sold, paying for everything with $100 bills and pocketing the change, which adds up rather quickly when you're just buying a pack of gum for $1.59 + tax.
My advice, to anyone considering going into a restaurant/catering/fast-food business with this man or even to hire him to work for them, is to RUN!
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH "ROGER 'DRAKE' SIMMONS." He will take every penny that he can from you with absolutely no conscience. He lies with every breath he takes. He has a criminal record, and he has spent about 3 years in jail in the past. (The worst part of this whole situation is that this man is a member of our family. If he can do this to us, just think what he could do to someone he has absolutely no ties to.) BEWARE!
