Not a happy Thanksgiving for jailed Atlanta roofer

By Harry Samler

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    ATLANTA (WANF) — A Gwinnett County Roofing contractor, recently profiled in a Better Call Harry and Atlanta News First investigation, spent the week before Thanksgiving in jail.

Thomas Bouhan was arrested in Forsyth County and transferred a week later to the Troup County Jail. He is charged with conversion of payment for property improvement.

In October, Two LaGrange, Georgia, homeowners filed police reports alleging Bouhan took their insurance claim checks and did not perform the work. Both homeowners filed claims after a March hailstorm damaged their roofs.

Jeffrey Nelson signed a contract with a Veterans Roofing salesman in early April and signed over an insurance claim check for more than $17,000. Joyce Parmer said she gave Bouhan claim checks totaling nearly $19,000.

“His excuse all the time was that it was rain, it was too hot, … any kind of excuse, all the time,” Parmer said.

When Parmer and Nelson filed police reports, a Troup County investigator gave Bouhan 30 days to start the work, provide a refund or be arrested. Troup County gives contractors the 30-day warning in case they fell behind.

Bouhan completed Joyce Parmer’s roof but got arrested after missing the 30-day deadline to give Nelson a refund.

Nelson said after Bouhan went to jail, he received two checks, but one of them bounced.

Troup County Investigator James Robson said he pursued the case after learning of an Atlanta News First investigation dating back to 2019.

“One of the reasons I was pushing so hard on this, is looking at how many people he’s done this to in the past, and he has a history it,” Robson said.

Veterans Roofing, formerly known as Simpliroofing, has 21 consumer complaints filed with Georgia’s Consumer Protection Division, ten police reports, and multiple civil suits alleging Bouhan cashed customer’s insurance checks and delaying the work indefinitely.

Bouhan posted bond last week and sent Jeffrey Nelson a cashier’s check to replace the bounced check. Nelson said he is waiting for the check to clear so that he can replace the roof.

“I feel let down, very let down, from a guy who is supposed to be a veteran,” he said.

On Monday, Bouhan said what happened was unfortunate and that it wasn’t his intention to take anyone’s money. Bouhan said he’s completed 45 roofs in the past two months.

In addition, Bouhan confirmed he would be refunding a Gwinnett County customer who signed over a $13,000 insurance claim check more than a year ago. The homeowner said she’s filed a police report, alleging theft.

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