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Home seized
Allegations of embezzlement spur police to force family out
By JON MOFFETT
Vindicator Staff Writer
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Video: Canfield Home Seized
CANFIELD — A sign in the neatly manicured front lawn of 5305 Revere Road in Canfield Township says the Austintown Police Department seized the home under court order, and warns: “Trespassers will be arrested.”
Austintown police arrived Friday morning to seize the property and possessions of Scott Adair, 48, as the investigation continues into an alleged embezzlement scheme.
According to a filing Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court by the prosecutor’s office, more than $1 million was embezzled from Adair’s former employer, Southwind Transportation Inc., Mahoning Avenue, Austintown.
Austintown Detective Kathy Dina said the police department has been investigating the allegations for about six weeks. Dina said the alleged embezzlement had taken place since 2000, and possibly earlier.
The department obtained a search warrant from the court at 9 a.m. and went to the home. Neither Adair nor his wife, Linda, were there when police arrived but were called from work.
Dina said the department had to seize the house and possessions because it’s believed they may have been purchased with some of the corporate funds. The company has since gone out of business.
The company “was getting lower and lower funds and they knew something was up,” Dina said.
Adair was a partner and was fired in October 2007, the court document said.
His business partner, Ric Barringer, filed a lawsuit against Adair in March. Charges included misappropriation of corporate assets to personal use, breach of contract, fraud and negligence.
Barringer later Friday commended authorities for taking action.
“The Austintown Police Department, Detective Dina and the prosecutor’s office have been absolutely fantastic,” Barringer said. He said about 30 workers lost their jobs at the transportation company. He added that small vendors that dealt with the company also suffered.
Barringer said he was in a state of shock when he first learned of the alleged embezzlement. “When you are victimized, it’s a terrible feeling,” he said. “It’s a real heartbreaker to think about it.”
Adair and his family, including two daughters, were instructed to leave the property. They were permitted to bring “adequate and sufficient clothing, personal effects and luggage for alternative living,” the court document said.
Atty. John Shultz is representing Adair. “I have been consulted by Mr. Adair, and at this juncture, I cannot say anything further until I’ve had an ample opportunity to review the status of the allegations,” he said.
Adair, who has not been formally charged and was not arrested, had no comment as he loaded luggage into the back of his tan Chevrolet Tahoe.
Asked if she had a comment, Linda Adair responded: “Are you kidding me?”
Linda Adair is also the subject of the investigation as being “complicit” and acting as a “phantom employee” of the company, the documentation said. It said she received “thousands of dollars in non-payroll checks, health benefits, spousal support, vacations and the use of assets.”
According to the documentation, the “real estate, vehicles, bank accounts, household good and furnishings, lawn and garden equipment, wine, investment accounts, firearms, sports tickets and personal seat licenses and some apparel” were to be forfeited to police.
The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department assisted the Austintown police. The Austintown Road Department unloaded a large safe from the home and took it to the police station.
“This is just the beginning,” Dina said. The family took clothing and pets — three dogs and three carriers of cats — from the home. Police then had the deadbolt on the front door changed and added bars to other entryways.
The Adair family can petition the court in 10 days to return to the home.
The two-story home sits in an upscale development with homes of similar size and value. Neighbors said they were surprised to hear of the allegations but wouldn’t give their names for comment.
Dina said evicting a family in any situation is difficult but is necessary in such cases.
“I don’t want to ever do this again,” she said. “Once is enough for me.”
jmoffett@vindy.com
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Comments
Ric..It's a shame when you've, obviously worked hard to build this business, just to have a person(s) of trust steal from you and the employees (who lost their jobs).
Hang in there,and don't give up, you can rebuild and come back bigger and better than you were dragging the "thieving dead weight" you were dealing with for however long.
A voice from the past......T. Fisher.
This is a total shock. If you knew Scott you would have never suspected that he would have done something like this.
why is the byline...Canfield...make up your minds vindy editors ! what happened to proofreaders?
As a business owner/partner you have to have your radar up and due diligence working in order to see these things happening over the years. You must have sufficient auditing procedures in place to catch this stuff, I mean think about it logically.
In any event, if the guy was embezzleing that much, chop his hands off and kill the cats.
Isn't it a bit premature to seive the house, since the man has not yet been charged with a crime. Who is it that "believes" that the house was purchased with stolen money? Did a judge make that determination?
Remember we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. I see no evidence that he has been proven guilty of anything yet. If you want the house, charge the man, put him on trial and take it as part of the sentencing. Otherwise the taking is illegal.
The date line (not byline) says Canfield, because that's where the news generated from. Austintown police might have been the ones to be investigating, but the home is in Canfield, and that where the news happened.
Also, I'm pretty sure the home was "seized" because it was part of a search warrant that allows police to search and collect evidence. A judge apparently felt there was enough evidence already to issue a search warrant, and the home was then seized along with other assets and possessions to help build the case, much the way drugs and firearms are "seized" when it's a drug case.
Whatever happend to "innocent until proven guilty".
Scott wanted more than his share from the business. Was this a classic case of entitlement? Higher fuel prices finally burst the bubble than he had created for himself. As long as times were good there was no questioning of where all the money was going.
These guys could have been rich if he had just let the business grow now because he got greedy not only the 30 people who lost their jobs but you also have a ripple effect of job losses of supporting businesses. Obviously there must be enough evidence and if he is found guilty he should pay a high price for all the lives he has disrupted.
@ DoctorGonzo:
Leave the "CATS" out of it.
That was a very ignorant comment.
As a high school friend and former employee of Ric's, I just want to say how saddened I am that such a fine and trusting person was taken advantage of by a business partner no less. Hopefully justice will prevail for the entire Barringer family. A. Gierescher
OK let's see millions of dollars taken since 2002 No charges on Mr. or Mrs. Adair. Mr.Barringer doesn't know anything until the well runs dry (7 years later)? Nothing like keeping and eye on the corporate books, hiring a CPA or maybe doing an occasional audit. I lose $20.00 and I know it.
Sounds like a bad business deal run by a couple of guy's who failed Operating a Small Business 101 in school.
Maybe the IRS will take a look at Adair and Barringer?
Another Youngstown business goes belly up...
Sad
GONZO - very chidish and DISGUSTING comment. Totally uncalled for as the animals and children are innocent in this. Scary that people like you roam free.
...just keep this Canfield scum out of my church's festival!
In the "old" youngstown, this guy would have had his house blown up, not kicked out of it
One in being close to the Barringer family would only see the hardships that Mr. Adair has put them through and the complications this injustice has caused them. it was well apparent that the Adair family was living well-off as opposed to the struggles and sacrifices those of Mr. and Mrs. Barringer have made. when working with a co-partner, it is only coherent to trust that of the employee, but its quite unfortunate to see such a faulty partnership bloom. No matter what has been said or done, this act is one of wrong doings. i can only imagine how hard this can be for both families and how shocked the Barringer residence must feel. Such a sad situation to see, but always remember, Greed is the root of all evil and what comes around goes around. as cliche as that is portrayed it by far sums up the circumstances. Wrong doings never get you ahead, only leave u far behind. God Bless the Barringers, just hold your heads high, your in our prayers!
Ju5tice:
You are evidently not aware of all the facts relative to this matter. They're is always 3 sides to the story in a situation of this nature. What the victim states, what the suspect states and somewhere in the center is the truth of what actually transpired.
If you believe that Barringer's actually operated a business under the belief "when working with a co-partner, it is only coherent to trust that of the employee" you are very naive.
You may be surprised at what is divulged as this case unravels..... Things are not always as they appear!
Totally agree with Ju5tice! What goes around comes around. Know these guys, so nothing would suprise me.
I'd like to see the authorities do a little more digging. You'll be suprised what might come up.
They need to question all the employees (or former employees). Yes, things are not always as they appear.
Sorry. I meant that I agree with xytown. Sounds like he knows these two guys. So do I.
Maybe the IRS will take a look at all involved....
Good luck getting anything more than Scott's house. With a history of embezzlement his chances of getting a high paying job are nil.
Wow --Composing "stream of conscience" apparently only works if your thoughts flow like a stream!
i find it impeccibly absurd that so many people fall to the biast grip of local newspapers and media. Don't you think that to get a true idea of wat is going on that you would find information from both sides of the story to get an accurate account of what the case is so that you can put into print a story that is accurate? I'm sorry but the Vindicator and local television networks have failed to do that in this case. if you look a little closer into the story rather than reading the same text on different websites you'll see that Ric Barringer is nothing more than a hopeless soul who couldn't run a business without Scott, after scott left, rather than being fired from Southwind Transportation, Ric let the company fall to bankrupcy. upset that he lost his company, ric strikes out at the adair family for one final time in hopes of affecting them as so to hurt them. i cannot stand the biast attitudes of people in the 21st century or Ric Barringer
Maybe if someone on here could get their facts straight and not believe everything they hear, the news could go back to being credible. I happen to be a family friend to the Adair's and know that this is the Barringer family seeking revenge on Scott, who was never fired and still holds over 50% of the company, for starting a new company with such high success. They were allowed back into their house with no evidence surfacing against them anywhere and I know the truth will prevail. Not only does my heart go out to Scott and his wife Linda but to their two teenage daughters for having to face this horrible lie as well. No family should be put through this mess and justice will come to them very soon. To all of you who believe everything you hear, you may want to get all the facts before having strong opinions against someone. The Adair's are noble people and you will be seeing them get the justice they deserve very soon.
To echo what several of you have said, I too am sad that the Media no longer considers a person "innocent until proven guilty." For those of you ready to cast judgment, be wary as it could very well be you being judged by newspaper headlines and others ready to condemn you before your trial. Though (unfortunately) free speech enables us all to drag someones name through the mud before their day in court, that will not change the facts of this case. I love justice and I look forward to the day that all the evidence is laid before a court and one of these men will be held accountable for what has transpired. Until then all of you who are ready to cast stones at this man, shut up. We (your friends and neighbors) will appreciate your silence.