Judge: VES must pay hundreds of victims

NORFOLK, Va. - A Circuit Court judge has ordered a hefty judgement against a local job finder company, Virginia Employment Services, for almost $900,000 for violating the Virginia Consumer Protection Act.

10 On Your Side has been investigating VES since 1998, confronting its owners, James and Carla O'Leary at their offices in Norfolk. For a decade, former VES customers have been reaching out to 10 On Your Side for help saying the company took their money and promised to find them jobs, but failed to deliver.

Last March Stacey Kastel paid VES $365 to find her employment. "You've been out of work for so long you kind of get desperate," said Kastel. The Suffolk woman said VES didn't even try to find her a job.

WAVY.com obtained the judge's order from Norfolk Circuit Court which lists about 360 VES victims who filed claims against the company and are now due repayment. Kastel was on that list.

WAVY.com called her with the news Wednesday afternoon. "Oh my gosh, that's awesome! I'm glad there's somebody standing up for us," said Kastel. "These people cheated so many people."

The judge has also ordered VES to pay the state's bill for prosesucting the case, about $800,000.