This is a warning to truckers out there, who may get scammed by these people.
Essentially, the scam works like this: They open up shop as either a transportation broker or moter carrier under various names. They run up huge bills, hire drivers and carriers, and pay no one. Once caught, they simply shut down, form another corporation, and then reopen for business as usual until they get caught again. I am a former employee with a judgement against them for $13,631.11, plus 10% interest in unpaid wages (San Bernardino, CA Superior Court case ID SCISS109945) until full payment is made (as of 11/12). That puts the current total near $17,000 or so.
To my knowledge, two other drivers have also obtained judgements against PDM Express, Inc. A bit lower than mine but now probably in excess of $10,000.00 each. Efforts to get the Labor Board to proceed further are useless, since their budget and staffing has been gutted. The Franchise Tax Board, which is supposed to enforce the judgements, has flat out failed to act. The State Secretary, who controls corporations, has similarly refused to act. All have said (despite laws to the contrary) that we drivers must now act on our own to track down a lawyer, locate the assets, strip their corporate shield (fairly easy enough), and then enforce the judgements on our own, with the possible help from whichever local sherriff controls whatever jurisdiction they fled to.
The judgements are good for 10 years, so this is still being persude.
The corporation is or was owned by Paul R.D. Mitchell, Paul D. Mitchell (son), and Denise Rankin-Mitchell (son's wife), as well as Denise's father (name unknown). They have used various corporate identities to perpetuate this fraud over the last few years in various aspects of the transportation industry. While they seem to have disappeared for now, it is believed they may still be in California, or possibly have moved their operations to either Nevada, Arizona, or Colorado.
To my knowledge, they have defrauded several motor carriers, cell and landline phone companies, many fuel card companies, and at least a dozen drivers that I personally am aware of.in addition, several drivers who recieved citations for owner-responsibility items have had our CDL's revoked or suspended as a result of the carriers failure to pay their fines (the driver ends up responsible as a result).
The typical operation for them is as an LTL interstate carrier. They nearly always "factor" the loads immediately after delivery is made, so they can be paid right away and transfer the monies away from the corporation before they are seized. They usually own just one tractor, and lease the rest and the trailers from heavy truck rental companies (the last I know of is TCI Leasing in California). Fuel cards are rarely good for more than a month or two, at which point they revert back to wiring the money for fuel and repairs via Western Union. It is nearly impossible to reach them on weekends, which they usually spent in the Parker, AZ area. They always have a new luxury car or SUV (which eventually gets repossessed), and may own a boat as well.
If anyone has any information on where these people may be found, I would appreciate it if you could let me know. Driver's and others are warned not to work for them in any capacity, as you will not get paid. They left me stranded in Arizona for several days without fuel, food, or money, two of which was during an ice storm. If it weren't for the help of TCI, I never would have been able to get home. These people are ruthless scam artists with a lengthy track record. While the son and daughter in law are amoral and greedy, I believe it is Paul Sr. Who is calling the shots and controls every aspect of the scam, making him not just worse, but dangerous as well.
Businesses seeking to work with these people should be aware you will never get paid.
Now that I have found this site, I will try to encourage the other drivers I know to file here as well.
Any lawyers out there willing to help, PLEASE call me or email me ASAP. I may have a location for Paul Sr.in Orange County California. At least one other driver has also asked that you take his case too.
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