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TRANSCRIPT
LAST DECEMBER, WE REPORTED ON
"PHOENIX ENTERPRISES". IT WAS BILLED AS A JOB PLACEMENT AGENCY, BUT ITS
CLIENTS ACCUSED IT OF RUNNING A SCAM.
NOW, THANKS TO THE DETECTIVE WORK OF ONE FATHER, POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING
THE AGENCY... CONSUMER PROTECTION IS LAUNCHING A LAWSUIT... AND PHOENIX
COULD SOON BE OUT- OF- BUSINESS.
TODD VAN DER HEYDEN HAS THIS SPECIAL REPORT.
[T JOB SCAM]
[SUPER=0099-In the Ashes?]
ALL 20-YEAR-OLD MELISSA MCHUGH WANTED WAS A JOB. INSTEAD, SHE SAYS SHE WAS
TAKEN FOR A RIDE.
[HARRIS BLACK VICTIM: MELISSA MCHUGH] I was very upset...I was very angry
and I felt stupid
MCHUGH SAYS PHOENIX ENTERPRISES STOLE $700 FROM HER - PROMISING JOBS IT
COULD NEVER DELIVER.
[MELISSA MCHUGH]I fully believe what he did was fraud...
MCHUGH IS JUST ONE OF PERHAPS HUNDREDS. LIANNE BUTLER, JESSICA KAUFMAN,
KAREN OKE...THEY ALL ANSWERED NEWSPAPER AND INTERNET ADS - ADS PLACED BY
PHOENIX. THEY THEN PAID PHOENIX' OWNER HARRIS BLACK TO FIND THEM JOBS THEY
NEVER GOT.
BUT THIS TIME, BLACK MAY HAVE MESSED WITH THE WRONG GIRL.
[MELISSA MCHUGH] I want to make sure he doesn't do this to anyone else
THIS IS MELISSA'S FATHER, GARY - A FORMER PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. HE'S
DEDICATED THE LAST TWO MONTHS TO STOPPING HARRIS BLACK.
[GARY McHUGH/Melissa's Father] he opened using the name "Swartzman Malka"...which
turns out to be his mother's maiden name...the address he gave is where his
father works, so all this info is fradulent
SO FAR, MCHUGH HAS FOUND ALMOST 50 PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY WERE SCAMMED.
WHEN WE DROPPED IN ON HARRIS BLACK THREE MONTHS AGO AT HIS QUEEN MARY
OFFICE, HE REFUSED TO TALK.
THE NAME "PHOENIX" IS NOW GONE FROM THE QUEEN MARY BUILDING. WHEN WE WENT
INTO HIS FORMER OFFICE - BLACK'S CO-TENANTS SAID HE LEFT IN FEBRUARY. AND
LEFT NO FORWARDING ADDRESS.
HIS CELL-PHONE IS DISCONNECTED. THE OFFICE LINE CUT. WE COULDN'T FIND HIM
FOR THIS REPORT.
THE MONTREAL POLICE FRAUD SQUAD IS NOW INVESTIGATING HARRIS BLACK - THANKS
TO INFO FROM GARY MCHUGH. OFFICERS WON'T COMMENT - BUT ADMIT THEY KNOW BLACK
WELL.
[QUEBEC CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICE] you can't get away with it
SO DOES QUEBEC'S CONSUMER PROTECTION OFFICE...
[GEORGES-ANDRE LEVAC/Consumer Protection Office] Mr. harris black is being
prosecuted by the office of consumer protection for the second time
TWO YEARS AGO, CONSUMER PROTECTION SUED BLACK FOR $2000 DOLLARS AND WON.
NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER LAWSUIT FOR A LOT MORE MONEY. 29 FORMER CLIENTS HAVE
ALSO FILED LAWSUITS.
AS FOR MELISSA - BLACK FINALLY REIMBURSED HER. BUT VERY RELUCTANTLY.
[MELISSA MCHUGH]if i didn't have my father and he had the experience he had
in private investigating he would probably still be doing this to other
people...I think the best thing that came out of this is that he's not doing
this to anyone else
[TODD VAN DER HEYDEN ONCAMERA CONCLUSION]
So..is this the final chapter for harris black? People who know him say
that's unlikely. He apparently planning a trip to Europe in april and they
say when he returns, he try to bring Phoenix back from the ashes - maybe
with a new name, new location and looking for new clients. His victims say
the only way to shut him down for good is an expensive lawsuit and
possible police charges. TV, CFCF News.
