MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two Shelby County men were charged with felony vandalism for fighting in the Wolfchase Mall parking lot.
Investigators said Kevin Williams and Marcus Dorris got into an argument over a failed business deal.
WREG learned while Dorris may have been the victim in the fight, he’s usually the one preying on others.
Tameka Ward said she is ready to put a file full of pictures, and lawyer documents to rest, but she’s got money on the line.
Back in August of 2013 she gave Dorris $10-thousand for a concert series investment.
She told WREG he claimed he could turn it into $15-thousand.
Ward was opening a small business and needed the money, so she wrote him a check.
But when it came time to pay up, the final $5-thousand in profits, Dorris didn’t have the cash.
“He was basically like I’m not gong to pay you all you’re going to have to take it up in court,” Ward explained.
Jenni Graham had the same experience.
She said she’s short $2-thousand from her original investment, and $5-thousand in the profits she was promised.
Graham told WREG, “First it was ‘let me get you out of my hair, let me get this taken care of next week, next week, next week.’ Now it’s been about a year.”
Finally, she got a check, but she said it bounced.
Channel 3 has confirmed that Dorris owns the Evergreen Grill.
In fact, some of the victims said the bad checks had the restaurant’s name on them.
Dorris’ lawyers told WREG these people aren’t owed anything because they signed the money off as an investment, not a loan.
In a statement, they said, “These people have invested money in his concert ventures with unrealistic expectations.”
Ward and Graham posted complaints about this on Facebook and learned they were not alone.
While they used to consider Dorris a friend, they have some advice for anyone who may consider writing him a check.
“Forget about googling people,” Ward explained. “Go to court records, put in their names, and see what comes up.”
WREG did just that and found Dorris doesn’t have a criminal record, but several people have sued in county court.
