Latest Weather Blog
Victim says he's being blackmailed after reporting public official for contractor fraud
Related Story
ZACHARY - The man whose complaint led to the arrest of a notable public official earlier this week says he's still being blackmailed by him.
Brandon Williams — the chairman of the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board — was arrested this week, accused of contractor fraud. Investigators said he took $600,000 from the victim, but left him high and dry. That victim had to hire another contractor to come in and complete the job.
That victim identified himself as Scott Campbell. Campbell said even though they have had to hire other contractors to do the work that Williams should have done, he is holding on to a lien waiver that is preventing them from closing on the property.
Campbell said they contracted with Williams to build their dream home in December 2021. The house was supposed to take a year to build. Today it sits in various states of disrepair with numerous things that have been left unfinished.
"We had no idea as the project went along that the money was not going to the other contractors or being spent where it should," Campbell said. "The project was moving slow as long as it inched along. I was willing to keep dumping more money into the project."
Campbell said he became suspicious after continuing to pay Williams, but contractors stopped showing up for work.
"The ongoing thing is, 'they will be there tomorrow,'" Campbell said. "'They will be there tomorrow.' When it comes to Thursday or Friday, 'they will be there Monday.' And it starts all over again."
Campbell said Williams left his house with missing molding. They had to hire a plumber and electrician to redo work that should have been completed correctly, but they found out that unlicensed contractors had been doing the work.
"We asked Brandon to show us where the money went and he refused," Campbell said. "He refused to show us where the money went."
Williams was first nominated to the board by LSU in 2019. He was removed from the board after a discrepancy was discovered with his address, but he was placed back on the board by the metro council.
Williams is also facing a separate felony theft arrest that he's scheduled to go to trial for in December.
When reached by phone this week, Williams said he has no intention of stepping down from the two boards that he serves on. In addition to the Municipal Police and Fire Civil Service Board, he also serves on the Louisiana Housing Corporation Board.
Williams is currently locked in a legal battle with city-parish attorneys, who argue he's illegally holding multiple seats in public office.
"That's his ego," Campbell said. "From what I gather, he's very narcissistic. I know he's not going to step down or admit to any wrongdoing. That's just who Brandon is."
WBRZ reached out to Williams' lawyer. He declined to comment.
Williams posted a $10,000 bond and was released.
News
