Myrtle Beach pool company accused of fraud by Grand Strand clients also facing lawsuits in North Carolina
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — A Myrtle Beach-based pool company at the center of a News13 investigation in which numerous Grand Strand property owners are accusing it of fraudulent business practices is also facing multiple civil actions in neighboring North Carolina.
Cascade Custom Pools has two claims of liens against it filed by Siteone Landscape Supply in Brunswick County, North Carolina, county court officials told News13 on Tuesday. There are also two civil cases involving both companies, though News13 has not been able to obtain copies of court records for any of those cases.
At least two lawsuits have been filed against Cascade Custom Pools in South Carolina and are still pending; one was filed on Nov. 17 in Horry County Common Pleas Courts, the other on Jan. 24 in U.S. District Court in Florence.
In the Horry County case, a woman accuses Cascade Custom Pools of several things, including breach of contract, negligence and fraud. The person filed the suit after agreeing to pay Cascade $67,200 for a 12-foot by 22-foot pool on March 27, 2023. The lawsuit claims that foundation issues have plagued the project and says the company has stopped communicating with the resident.
The federal case against Cascade was brought by SCP Distributors LLC. It is asking for Cascade to pay a little more than $320,000 it allegedly owed as part of a business agreement.
In News13’s initial report on Thursday, four Grand Strand residents said their dealings with Cascade Custom Pools had cost them a combined $422,000. They accused the company of digging a hole, installing some utilities, plaster or concrete, and then not returning for weeks or months — if ever.
Over the weekend, the company, which had its business license suspended as of April 3, told many of its clients in a letter that the business would be shutting down.
“We are currently in the process of closing our business Cascade Custom Pools, but first we want to take care of our existing customer base,” the letter said.
Thus far, even as complaints against the company from dozens of families have continued to pour into the News13 newsroom, there do not appear to be any criminal investigations underway.
Robert Kittle, a spokesman for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, said:
“That’s not something our office would typically handle. It would be handled through civil lawsuits, as is already happening, or criminal breach of trust charges, which would be handled by the local solicitor.”
Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson told News13 on Monday that his office did not have any charges against the company or its owner, Christopher Harrington. He said it would be up to law enforcement officials to determine whether there is enough evidence to obtain a warrant for an arrest.
News13 has also asked the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office if it is conducting any investigations involving the company but has not heard back.
Dennis Bright is a Digital Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.
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