Two local businessmen who were left holding the bag in a handyman franchise scam two years ago have survived the setback to build their own renovation and installation company by joining forces.
“It’s been a real interesting struggle,” said Carmine Maurizio, the first Quebecer to invest in a Dial-A-Husband International Services Inc. franchise in July 2004.
Stephen McCavour followed suit three months later to become the second Dial-A-Husband in the province.
“We dished out $70,000 and $60,000 each,” Maurizio said.
Besides the $35,000 franchise fee, he invested that much again on trucks, tools, advertising and workers, only to be left high and dry along with about a dozen other franchisees in Ontario and Calgary by Dial-A-Husband founder Jim Gillingham.
“He has closed his doors and disappeared with all monies franchisees gave him,” Ontario franchisee Garry Shearer said yesterday from his Peterborough operation.
“When we confronted him and asked to look into the (company) books, he vanished.”
He is thought to be in Canada, but nobody knows where he is, including the police.
Maurizio recalled cornering Gillingham at a Home Depot convention in Toronto last September and having him run out of the building.
“We had security chasing him and he knocked over my partner, Stephen, who was trying to take photos of his licence plate.”
Dial-A-Husband, which Gillingham ran with his wife Sharron out of Mississauga, Ont., was dissolved at the end of 2004.
Maurizio, McCavour, Shearer and the few other remaining franchise owners have launched a lawsuit against Gillingham in Ottawa, claiming breach of contract and breach of Ontario’s franchising act for not fully disclosing his history.
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