Local estate sale business owner accused of taking clients’ money

CLEVELAND — Information 5 Investigators have been digging deep into allegations made towards an property gross sales enterprise proprietor accused of taking cash from purchasers.

Jessica Galayda is the proprietor of Cleveland Property Liquidators. She is going through a felony theft cost and has had a number of civil instances introduced towards her.

OUR PROCESS TO GET ANSWERS

Information 5 Investigators used a number of producers and several other undercover cameras to trace down the proprietor of Cleveland Property Liquidators Jessica Galayda.

However our story begins at Rocky River Municipal Court docket for Galayda’s felony theft listening to final month.

She didn’t present, and her lawyer informed us, “I’m not going to make any remark presently,” after the listening to was postponed.

Cindy Hauck from North Olmsted is listed because the sufferer within the felony case.

“How do you are feeling about what occurred at the moment? we requested Hauck.

“Disgusted,” she replied.

Hauck employed Galayda to run an property sale after Hauck’s husband handed away and she or he needed to promote some issues from her house.

Hauck informed us Galayda stole from her sale.

“She’s taking cash from individuals and sticking it down her bra,” mentioned Hauck, who informed us she watched a number of the sale occurring in individual. “(Galayda) didn’t have any file…she wrote nothing down.”

And when the sale was over, Hauck couldn’t consider what she heard.

“(Galayda) known as me and mentioned, ‘Properly, I actually didn’t promote that a lot.’ And I mentioned, ‘Wait a minute, Jessica. There’s quite a lot of stuff gone from my home,’” Hauck informed us.

OTHER FORMER CLIENTS STEP FORWARD

“I don’t perceive how individuals can do the issues that they do,” mentioned Angie Swanson from Mayfield Village. She got here to courtroom to assist Hauck.

Swanson employed Galayda to run her personal property sale earlier this 12 months.

She mentioned Galayda gave her lower than $400 after the sale.

“The evening earlier than the sale she offered the fridge for $500, which I bodily witnessed,” defined Swanson.

“Not to mention the opposite contents?” we requested.

“Appropriate,” Swanson replied.

Swanson sued in civil courtroom for $6,000. A Justice of the Peace dominated in her favor, however Galayda is difficult that ruling.

Swanson’s mother slipped into dementia, and the entire thought was to have Galayda promote a few of her mother’s possessions.

“It’s about (Galayda) not having any empathy for individuals of their life struggles,” mentioned Swanson.

We discovered extra civil fits have been filed towards Galayda, together with a judgment towards her in Bedford Municipal Court docket.

Whereas the felony case and different civil fits are ongoing, Information 5 Investigators noticed Galayda persevering with to run property gross sales in our space.

WHAT OUR HIDDEN CAMERAS CAUGHT

At one sale, we noticed Galayda writing one thing down after making a sale, however at one other occasion, our producer requested Galayda whether or not she provides receipts for purchases.

“I imply you possibly can write up the identical receipt I’d provide you with,” Galayda will be heard saying on our hidden digicam. “As a result of it’s simply going to be a bit of paper… however I often don’t, no.”

They’re the identical sort of points Sara Kornokovich from Westlake mentioned she had after hiring Galayda when her mom handed away.

“And it’s… oh! That is so arduous,” mentioned Kornokovich whereas tearing up. “It’s nonetheless so recent.”

Kornokovich filed a prison criticism towards Galayda. Westlake Police informed us the case will go to the grand jury.

Michele Merin from Solon mentioned she was a buyer at Kornokovich’s property sale run by Galayda.

“You’d ask how a lot one thing was, and she or he didn’t have any thought of what to cost,” Merin informed us.

At a special occasion, our digicam caught Galayda wanting up costs on her telephone and altering them on the fly.

Merin mentioned at Kornokovich’s sale she witnessed at the least 10 individuals forward of her spending $75-$100 every or extra.

“We noticed over $700 simply in two prospects,” mentioned Merin.

“With many extra in line?” we requested.

“Oh yeah. Oh, yeah. And other people have been there all day,” replied Merin.

Kornokovich informed us Galayda reported $1,354 in general gross sales.

“What do you concentrate on the whole that she received? we requested Merin.

“I believe it’s ludicrous,” she replied.

“It’s weighed so closely on my aware that different persons are discovering her and utilizing her for gross sales,” mentioned Kornokovich. “And that’s why we determined to maneuver ahead with Information 5.”

GALAYDA RUNS FROM OUR CAMERAS, QUESTIONS

We needed to get solutions from Galayda herself. We discovered her at an property sale within the Chagrin Falls space.

“Hiya, Jessica? Jonathan Walsh from Information 5,” we mentioned whereas strolling as much as her. However she ran from our cameras.

“The place are you going? We’ve received some inquiries to ask you about your former purchasers,” we continued to ask. “They accuse you of doing them unsuitable. Are you stealing cash from them? Why are you working from us?”

Galayda refused to reply any of our questions.

We requested the previous purchasers why they’re stepping ahead with their tales. All of them mentioned the identical factor.

“She must be put away and she or he must cease promoting,” mentioned Hauck. “She must cease together with her property gross sales.”

TWO OF GALAYDA’S BUSINESSES BANNED ON SITE

The web site EstateSales.web informed us Cleveland Property Liquidators and one other firm Galayda owns known as Cleveland Appraisers and Liquidators are banned from the positioning.

Galayda’s subsequent listening to in Rocky River Municipal Court docket on the felony cost is scheduled for September 20.