(WSVN) – State and federal investigators are looking into a South Florida company that held recruiting events in the Haitian community after people complained they invested big money but got no payout.
7’s Heather Walker investigates.
Fabiola White and her boyfriend thought getting into the trucking business would be a good way to make some extra money. He would handle the driving. She would do the paperwork.
Fabiola White: “I hear that it’s very lucrative. There’s a lot of money in there.”
The couple wanted to focus on small freight deliveries using heavy-duty pickup trucks.
Fabiola found a company called Hotshot Roadmap, LLC, which would set up jobs for them. But first, she had to buy her own truck.
Fabiola White: “$15- $20,000 down for the vehicle.”
Fabiola then paid $8,000 to add the truck to the company’s fleet.
Her contract says she would be paid a percentage of every delivery. But, Fabiola says after spending all that money, she never got any delivery jobs, so she asked for a refund.
Fabiola White: “He said, ‘What money?’ and disconnected the call. I’m highly ticked off. I’m just really upset.”
Fabiola’s contact at the company was Yves-Paul Demesmin.
He isn’t listed on state business records for Hotshot Roadmap, LLC but his pictures are on its website.
When we called the company, he told us he has heard the complaints.
Yves-Paul Demesmin/Hotshot Roadmap, LLC: “It’s a group that’s doing this to sabotage the company.”
Demesmin tells 7 Investigates he doesn’t owe Fabiola anything. He says her boyfriend couldn’t handle the work and her money went toward equipment and company insurance.
Yves-Paul Demesmin: “These people, they don’t know nothing about this business.”
Fabiola says she’s not alone. She believes Demesmin is focusing on recent Haitian immigrants.
The website has videos in Creole and Demesmin has held recruiting events in Haitian communities.
Jean/truck owner: “Describing, like how it can be, like, between $5,000 to $10,000 a week.”
Jean doesn’t want us to show his face. He joined the company after attending one of Demesmin’s events.
He spent thousands on a truck and another $7,000 to add his truck to the company’s fleet, but says he never made money.
Jean: “He said ‘No,’ he doesn’t owe us. Yeah.”
Demesmin says he has done nothing wrong and is in fact, trying to help the Haitian community.
Yves-Paul Demesmin: “I bring this business to my community. So now, they want to bad mouth our company.”
Complaints were filed against the company with both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Florida Attorney General’s office. Both expressed concern with the company’s practices.
Heather Walker, 7News.
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