The Jeff Fordley Files: A Blake Moia Show Exclusive Investigation into the Con-Artist From New York
Dec. 2nd, 2024 -- 11pm- TheBlakeMoiaShow.com
A so-called "businessman" from New York is facing harsh scrutiny after dozens of people say he hasn't been paying his employees.
After dozens upon dozens of complaints to The Blake Moia Show about a man named Jeff Fordley, our private investigators decided to take a closer inspection. The complaints all came from various workers, family members, staff, fired personnel and employees who quit a pop-up restaurant called "Mama Geri's".
This restaurant sits near the intersection of Wickham Rd. and Aroura Rd. in Melbourne, Florida and is the former "Frankies Wings & Things" establishment, known for their award-winning wings and beer specials.
Who Exactly is Jeff Fordley?
Jeff Fordley managed to lease the former Frankie's building and subsequently named the restaurant after the late mother of the Fordley family, sources tell The Blake Moia Show.
A cousin of Jeff Fordley tells us that after the mother, named Geri, had passed away, Jeff allegedly stole the funeral money from Geri's will account meant to be used for paying for funeral expenses and to take care of the family but instead proceeded to live in Florida.
Fordley was last known to be living in an upper-middle class HOA subdivision in West Melbourne. The latest reports say he is now living beachside in an even more expensive HOA.
According to public records and news reports, Jeff Fordey is not a stranger to controversy. As a true New York native, Jeff Fordley has been scamming people for decades.
In a 2-part series from CBS 6 in Albany New York, Fordley was accused of stealing over 43 thousand dollars from unsuspecting home-owners over 12 years ago. Victims paid Fordley for work such as home repairs, remodeling and construction that was ultimately never completed.
One victim says, "a contract for the work was written but, each week he would ask me for more and more money, $6,000, $7,000, $8,000 but he would show me things and say that's what he needed the money for."
Part 1
Part 2
URUS Funding Scammed
Records show Fordley failed to show up to court regarding a $35,000 lawsuit which was brought against him and his fraudulent construction company.
Jeff Fordley and "CMN Construction" were sued for breach of contract and unjust enrichment after URUS Funding, LLC alleged that Fordley took out loans and failed to pay back those loans and then later closing his bank account resulting in substantial overdraft fees. URUS Funding, LLC sued for damages in excess of $35,000 that it sustained as a result of Fordley's actions.
Fordley failed to answer to the civil charges and failed to show up to court, and a "Default Judgement" was entered into the record, resulting in the bankruptcy of CMN Construction and garnishment of wages against Fordley.
FOX Capital Lawsuit
Mr. Fordley was also sued by FOX Capital for over $35,000 regarding allegations of fraud, unjust enrichment and breach of contract.
The creditor and plaintiff in this lawsuit, Fox Capital, which is based out of New York, alleges that they were not paid back. Mr. Fordley failed to provide the courts with a defense or objections and failed to show up to court and as a result, a default judgement against Mr. Fordley was brought against him.
At last check, the company has still not received a single dime from Mr. Fordley.
An order of garnishment of wages was produced to to the Space Coast Credit Union where Mr. Fordley allegedly owns a bank account. However, Space Coast Credit Union told the courts that he has no such accounts with that bank.
It remains unclear where or how Jeff Fordley is keeping his money.
DEEDS AND LIENS
Records show that Jeff Fordley received a property deed in an HOA Subdivision in West Melbourne worth $402,000. This lot, worth almost a half of a million dollars, is located in an area called "Oak Grove" in the West Melbourne area.
Upon further digging into records, investigators discovered a lien worth $52,000 was placed on that property in July of 2024. The lawsuit against Fordley was brought by Florida Hurricane Protection Corps which alleged unpaid labor, material and other costs relating to window and door installations that was never completed.
Mama Geri's Restaurant Eviction
The Blake Moia Show's private investigators received over 2 dozen complaints regarding the Mama Geri's restaurant over the course of 3 months. Former employees as well as current employees at the time told The Blake Moia Show that Mr. Fordley refused to pay employees, wasn't paying the food vendors, the water bill and the electricity bills. Fordley went as far as handing out bottles of water to its customers in order to flush the toilet after their water was shut off by the city.
GEOSAV Properties, Inc., petitioned the courts for Jeff Fordley and Mama Geri's to be evicted from the location due to failure to pay rent, amongst other issues, according to a complaint filed by the Landlords of GEOSAV Properties. GEOSAV wouldn't respond to our inquiry pending the legal status of this case.
Several former employees tell The Blake Moia Show that they witnessed Fordley "visibly drunk" while inside the "Mama Geri's" restaraunt business. He would be seen at the bar, "demanding the bartender to make him drinks", one employee told us. "He would berate the employees and yell at us", another told Blake Moia.
"We never got paid", everyone tells us.
"If we even questioned him about our pay, he would become irate and give us excuse after excuse. There's a lot of excuses with him".
The Mama Geri's Facebook Page was changed to "Hot Top Pick 321"
The Blake Moia Show Presses Jeff Fordley For Comment
Mr. Fordley had a lot to say via text messenger when we asked him a series of 13 questions. Attempts for an on-camera interview were unsuccessful. We were never at any point provided any of the documents we requested.
Hi Jeff Fordley,
My name is Blake Moia with The Blake Moia Show, and it's come to our attention that you are the owner / operator of the new Restaurant called "Mama Geri's", which is the old "Frankie's Wings and Things" building just north of Auroa Road in Melbourne, Fl.
It's also come to our attention from several employees, that you haven't paid your staff for at least a month of work. They have shown me text messages and agreements that you would be paying "later tonight", only to be met with excuse after excuse.
Sir, we also understand that you have several pending litigations against you relating to fraud, and you were also found guilty of business-related contract fraud and are banned from working in the State of New York and have filed for bankruptcy.
Mr. Fordley, we have several questions for you this evening.
1.) Why aren't you paying your employees?
2.) Are you aware this violates federal law?
3.) How are you able to afford to purchase the old Frankie's building?
4.) Do you know you owe several thousand dollars to your employees plus other overtime wages?
5.) Can you tell us why you are banned from New York?
6.) What brings you down to Florida, sir?
8.) Are you able to provide us with a copy of all applicable business license receipts and city tax receipts?
9.) Can we please see a copy of your health inspection report?
10.) Are there other things going on at your restaurant that the public should be concerned about?
11.) Is there anything you would like the general public to know about your eatery?
We look forward to your answers. This will be used in our news piece in the next 48 hours if we continue to get word about your shady actions. We also plan on doing an on-camera interview at your establishment sometime this week to get your side of the story.
Animal Enforcement Citations Still Unpaid
Makoto's Japanese Steakhouse Hibachi Grill Dinner
A photo surfacing from Jeff Fordley's girlfriend Facebook account shows Jeff Fordley sitting at Makotos Japanese Steakhouse during dinnertime services with his family and children. The Blake Moia Show has chosen not to display the children in the picture.
The Hibachi grill style dinner at Makoto's features entertaining chefs who deliberately set the grill on fire -- to cutting the shrimp tails and throwing them into their chef's hat and doing fancy moves with their knives and cooking utensils -- all the while cooking everyone's order right in front of their patrons, offers dinner plates for as low as $29$ each. The fancier food -- such as sea food and filet steak can be as much as 40$ per plate.
It remains unclear how he was able to pay for this dinner.
FROM THE BLAKE MOIA SHOW ARCHIVES
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