Wednesday, August 3, 2016

CONVICTED FRAUDSTER MEETS JUSTICE AGAIN

Meanwhile, across the river in Buffalo:

Buffalo has transformed its waterfront.  Just a reminder how a once disused and barren was changed into a great tourist attraction. Too bad Fort Erie mostly wastes its greatest asset. 
(Note to our mayoral wannabe: you know that you won't get many votes out of Crystal Beach, mainly because people do remember your duplicity, but your petty little pay-back has been thoroughly noted and proper "credit" has been awarded to you by name. Of course, many of the people who were affected by it were from other parts of Fort Erie and they will remember too.)


There are unconfirmed reports that convicted fraudster Gary Fraser has been arrested again. Fraser, who is the front man for a syndicated mortgage group has left his mark on Crystal Beach and Ridgeway on his way to fame and fortune. The trail of half-built and abandoned buildings has blighted the Beach, especially the empty business structures on Erie Road.  There is a vast area on Ridge Road in Ridgeway that has been torn up in anticipation of another development from one of the companies that Fraser fronts.

One woman who owns a building on Erie Road is probably breathing a sigh of relief that the sale of her building to Fraser fell through months ago, while others who sold to Fraser are grateful that they were paid before the bottom fell out.

And, just like other developers, Fraser was allowed to get away with problems in grading of the under-construction houses on Schooley Road.  While the planning department and other departments at Town Hall seem to be on permanent vacation, developers seem to have no problem getting building permits even though there are serious mistakes in their plans. Take a look at those abominations at the end of Hibbard Street in Ridgeway that have short driveways and little hope of being bought except by fools. What? Was no one at work the day those plans were approved? Or was it a case of what a local developer has bragged that "I can get anything passed as long as I pay for it."

This blog put out the warning about Fraser long ago.  (Look it up in the archives.) Hopefully, some listened. I do know of others who didn't and were roped into defending Fraser even though he served time for previous scams that robbed family, friends and even his own pastor from hundreds of thousands of dollars.

UPDATE: Fraser has NOT been arrested - yet.The investigation is ongoing, but some properties owned by Fraser are now up for auction. Both Gary and his wife have not been seen in the area for a while; she was seen clearing out of one of their properties a few weeks ago. Like his previous situation that ended with his incarceration, he may be difficult to find.

ELECTION UPDATE: Fort Erie Race Track owner, Carl Paladino is the chair of the Trump campaign in New York State. This morning, he embarrassed himself on MSNBC's Joy Reid show, but he really proved himself as a right wing nut job in a recent interview. He asserted that President Obama is definitely a Muslim because of his foreign policy. This is the guy who ran for governor of New York wielding a baseball bat. He lost in a landslide. 

Another developer who thinks only of himself, like Trump. Hopefully Trump will suffer the same fate in his campaign as Paladino did in his.

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