Wanted Con Artists Working To Scam Oklahoma On Craigslist Again

Adrianna Iwasinski, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Authorities are putting out a warning against a Craigslist posting of a plea for help. The person behind the listing is a con artist who has bilked several Oklahomans out of thousands of dollars in roofing job scams.

The Craigslist posting asks for help from any charitable person, organization or church. The posting caught the eye of News 9 viewer, Victor Slavinschi, who wanted to help, so he contacted News 9.

Slavinschi said he feels as if he's been duped.

"I just thought it was one of the saddest stories I've read, you know? He really crafted it well," Slavinschi said.

He said he read the plea for help on Craigslist last week and was so moved by what he read he wanted to help the family listed in time for the holidays.

"It was a pretty longwinded story about the guy. He had a stroke, his father had a stroke," Slavinschi said.

But a little Google research revealed the man asking for help was Brian Krafton, who has been in trouble with the law and has more than a dozen lawsuits against him in both Oklahoma and Cleveland counties. The lawsuits were mostly for taking money for roofing jobs and then never completing the projects.

News 9 went to Brian Krafton's business in Edmond to get some answers. He wasn't there, but when News 9 called about the ad, he said he'd call back. When he didn't, News 9 went to his home in Edmond where his mother answered the door.

"Your son had posted a Craigslist posting about seeing if folks could help out you and your family?" News 9 reporter Adrianna Iwasinski told Krafton's mother.

'Oh that, yeah,' Krafton's mother said.

But after making a quick phone call to her son, Mrs. Krafton changed her story.

"He says at the time we were in need but things have straightened out a little bit better for us," Krafton's mother said.

"So are you aware he had the Craigslist posting?" Iwasinski asked.

"Yes, yes and things are going a little bit better now for us," Krafton's mother said.

"Why did you guys decide to do this on Craigslist?" Iwasinski asked.

"That you would have to ask him," Krafton's mother asked. "Because we needed help at the time."

News 9 went back to Krafton's business, Oklahoma Construction Plus, to get those answers. This time Brian Krafton was there, but he refused to comment and told News 9 to leave.

Ricky Hodge gave Krafton $2,500 this summer to fix his roof and never saw a dime of it back. He sued Krafton and won but is still waiting for him to pay up. He's now outraged about Krafton's Craigslist plea for help.

"I think it's sorry," Hodge said. "I want to see him in jail. I don't care if I get my money back. I want his butt in jail."

As for Slavinschi, he said he plans to be a little more careful about the people he tries to help.

"It's tragic I guess. A lot of people fall for this sort of stuff," Slavinschi said.

Edmond and Oklahoma City Police said Krafton is doing nothing illegal by posting the ad on Craigslist for help. However, the Cleveland County DA's office said if Krafton does accept any money under these false pretenses, he could be facing both a misdemeanor and felony under the computer crimes act.

Krafton has two court appearances with angry roofing customers scheduled for November and December.

News 9 also alerted Craigslist about the posting, but so far the posting is still up.

More:

• 2 Men Charged with Bogus Roof Repair Scams in Cleveland County