‘I’ve been robbed’: People out thousands of dollars after roofing company ‘disappeared’

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Multiple customers of a Charleston roofing company claim they can’t get a response from the company they paid to fix their homes.

After several weather events across the Lowcountry, including the microburst we had a couple of months ago, people found themselves in a tricky situation and needing repairs.

Many turned to Orange Elephant Roofing and Construction. Orange Elephant Roofing has been a licensed roofing company in South Carolina since 2019, according to paperwork filed with the state. Jake Kelly is listed as the owner.

But multiple people reached out claiming they were ghosted after they handed over money. Alexis Tecosky is one of them. Tecosky says their home was damaged after a recent microburst and someone she knew was in the process of using Orange Elephant and had a good experience. So, she gave them a call.

“We’ll do the contract, pick out the shingles, get all of that done,” Tecosky says. “They said, ‘You’ll write us a check and then it’ll be six to eight weeks.’ I didn’t think too much of it because of how many homes needed roofs. I suspected that it wouldn’t be immediate. So I gave them a check in full. Naive in hindsight, but I also didn’t have any reason not to think that they were going to follow through.”

She says that timeframe came and went and when she tried to call every number she had, including ones from other states, they all led back to the same voicemail.

“My brother works just down the street from where their office is located here in Charleston,” Tecosky says. “He went and the doors were unlocked. And it was like a zombie apocalypse. He said it was like everybody just disappeared. All the computers were still there. Everything was just paperwork still sitting on the desk but no employees.”

The North Charleston address listed on the company’s paperwork filed with the state of South Carolina no longer appears to be the company’s location.

The phone number listed leads to a voicemail and emails sent to their email address bounced back.

Tecosky is out $12,000. She isn’t the only one hearing crickets though.

Amanda Karabees, a mother of six; and 94-year-old Korean and Vietnam War veteran James Natividad say the same thing is happening to them along with multiple others who spoke off camera. When they asked for refunds, they were told it would take six to eight weeks. But they say their checks still haven’t arrived and they can’t get in touch with anyone, either.

“I’m about ready to ring somebody’s neck,” Natividad says. “I’ve been robbed without a gun.”

Natividad says he is out $6,000. Karabees says she is out $12,000.

“These people came to my house and saw my situation and lied to my face,” Karabees says. “Knowing that they were going to take this much money from a growing family. That’s been disturbing, you know, but they’re gone. They did a fly-by-night. They took the money and ran.”

Karabees says she feels especially frustrated because she did the due diligence beforehand when looking for a qualified company.

“I’ve heard some things like well this was a life lesson you learned, and it’s like, well, yes, but I think that I went through all the right channels of what you’re supposed to do,” Karabees says. “It’s a little bit comforting to know, like you aren’t the only one taken advantage of. You know, it was a scam and they lied and it’s okay to trust people, you know? We would like them to be held accountable and not be able to do this again.”

Orange Elephant Roofing currently has an approved business license through the South Carolina Secretary of State’s Office.

Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation spokesperson Chelsea Bennett released a statement late Monday afternoon:

State law prohibits the agency from commenting on whether complaints have been filed against the licensee, unless those complaints have resulted in a public order. Orange Elephant Roofing LLC’s license is currently administratively suspended as they no longer have a primary qualifying party affiliated with their license.

Bennett said the company’s license was suspended on Nov. 1.

The company is listed in more than a dozen lawsuits in the Lowcountry area dating back to 2020.

All in all, everyone just wants their money back and for this not to happen to someone else.

“I would like everybody to get their money back,” Tecosky says. “I know that that’s unlikely. I would like him to be held accountable. I think that it’s really frustrating that for consumers there’s no recourse. We can’t put a lien on somebody’s business or I mean we can sue them but we don’t have the same resources.”

The Department of Consumer Affairs says there is really no direct way these people can get their money back. But there are steps people can take if they’re in this situation: They can file a police report, file a complaint with the Department of Consumer Affairs and Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; and they can also hire an attorney.

Orange Elephant’s website states they have locations in South Carolina, Texas, Illinois and Colorado.

Two roofing companies have reached out saying if you’re dealing with this situation with Orange Elephant, they are willing to do the work at cost:

New Beginnings Construction

• Ask for Toby Wessel
• 843-789-4604
• nbc-sc.com/

Patriot Roofing

• Ask for Jason Dores
• JDores@patriotroofingsc.com
• 843-640-3317