The neighborhood was hit by Hurricane Milton in October 2024, and at least 25 homeowners hired RedFin Construction/MTC General Contractors. Residents complained they paid hefty deposits, but the work wasn’t done.

Better Call Behnken has uncovered that this isn’t the first time the head of the company, executive Brian Michaud, has been in the hot seat related to one of his businesses.

Court records show the Wisconsin Department of Justice sued Michaud in 2014 and received a $41,000 forfeiture judgment a year later.

Allegations concerned Michaud’s business Double Up Promotions, Inc.

Lisa Schiller is an investigator with the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau and first uncovered the wrongdoing.

She said Michaud sold books of coupons that he said would benefit disabled veterans and veteran outreach program, but the money did not go to any charity.

“We had businesses affected by this, businesses that trusted that their hard-earned money would go toward the advertisement in the coupon books and then the coupon books they were to receive to send to their customers,” Schiller said.

In Manatee County, Jim Schmidt is helping his mother-in-law who paid $16,400 of her insurance settlement last December as a 50% deposit to RedFin. While waiting for RedFin to do the work, the elderly woman fell ill and is transitioning into an assisted living facility.

The family needs to repair the home and then sell it to help pay for her care.

“It’s just one excuse after another, and it’s just frustrating,” Schmidt said. “In our situation where we are, have a mother that’s 87 years old that we’re transitioning into assisted living, and we need to get this place fixed so that we can sell it and help fund her care.”

Schmidt said Michaud recently sent residents an email with a list of 25 addresses, showing that Patti Schmidt’s mother’s home was still 15th on the list.

Michaud also sent residents an email, stating the company has done “nothing illegal, immoral or unethical” and accusing angry residents of “untruthful slander” and that if it continued it would be “turned over to attorneys.”

Patti Schmidt said those comments just make her angry.

“He’s put a lot of people in peril,” Schmidt said. “A lot of people are under stress.”

Schmidt said after our report last month Michaud promised a refund, but he hasn’t received anything.

Michaud did not return a message seeking comment for this story.

The neighborhood was hit by Hurricane Milton in October 2024, and at least 25 homeowners hired RedFin Construction/MTC General Contractors. Residents complained they paid hefty deposits, but the work wasn’t done.

Better Call Behnken has uncovered that this isn’t the first time the head of the company, executive Brian Michaud, has been in the hot seat related to one of his businesses.

Court records show the Wisconsin Department of Justice sued Michaud in 2014 and received a $41,000 forfeiture judgment a year later.

Allegations concerned Michaud’s business Double Up Promotions, Inc.

Lisa Schiller is an investigator with the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau and first uncovered the wrongdoing.

She said Michaud sold books of coupons that he said would benefit disabled veterans and veteran outreach program, but the money did not go to any charity.

“We had businesses affected by this, businesses that trusted that their hard-earned money would go toward the advertisement in the coupon books and then the coupon books they were to receive to send to their customers,” Schiller said.

In Manatee County, Jim Schmidt is helping his mother-in-law who paid $16,400 of her insurance settlement last December as a 50% deposit to RedFin. While waiting for RedFin to do the work, the elderly woman fell ill and is transitioning into an assisted living facility.

The family needs to repair the home and then sell it to help pay for her care.

“It’s just one excuse after another, and it’s just frustrating,” Schmidt said. “In our situation where we are, have a mother that’s 87 years old that we’re transitioning into assisted living, and we need to get this place fixed so that we can sell it and help fund her care.”

Schmidt said Michaud recently sent residents an email with a list of 25 addresses, showing that Patti Schmidt’s mother’s home was still 15th on the list.

Michaud also sent residents an email, stating the company has done “nothing illegal, immoral or unethical” and accusing angry residents of “untruthful slander” and that if it continued it would be “turned over to attorneys.”

Patti Schmidt said those comments just make her angry.

“He’s put a lot of people in peril,” Schmidt said. “A lot of people are under stress.”

Schmidt said after our report last month Michaud promised a refund, but he hasn’t received anything.

Michaud did not return a message seeking comment for this story.