VES victims speak out

NORFOLK, Va. - "It's like highway robbery," said Ernest Reid, one of 360 victims of a local job-finder service. "I'm glad that justice will be done."   Reid and the other former customers of Virginia Employment Services won big in court when a Norfolk judge ruled that VES must pay the victims back.  10 On Your Side has spent the last 10 years investigating VES and talking to customers who paid money for the company's guarantee to find them a job fast.

"People are out of work then they're taking people's money with a promise that you are going to go to work," said Reid.   But hundreds of customers said VES was nothing but a scam, pretending to have employment connections with dozens of companies like Lowes, which is where VES sent Reid.   "And Lowes' said they don't know anything about these people."

After 10 On Your Side's investigation the Virginia Attorney General decided to prosecute VES and its owners, James and Carla O'Leary. Wednesday we reported the judge's decision to make VES payback about 360 victims, plus court costs, about $900,000.

"I was thrilled," said Stacey Kastel of Suffolk. "It's about time." Kastel said VES took $365 from her but never got her a job. "How nice that a judge is going to call people into account for dishonesty, deceipt and thievery."

But, Kastel and Reid said they won't feel totally vindicated until that check is in their hands.