Manhattan man, company banned from doing business in Kansas ordered to pay fine, restitution

Mar. 27—A Manhattan man who operates a local concrete company can no longer do business in Kansas after allegedly failing to honor a consumer warranty and not performing a project after being paid, according to the Kansas Attorney General's Office.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Friday that Douglas L. Bell III of Custom Concrete Contractors LLC is permanently banned from doing business in the state and fined him $100,000 for violating the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Schmidt also said he must pay more than $13,000 in restitution to consumers.

Shawnee County District Judge Mary Christopher approved a default judgement on March 17 in Shawnee County District Court after Bell did not respond to the lawsuit filed against him.

Christopher ordered he pay a total of $13,606.55 to two customers in Shawnee County.

Schmidt said Bell violated the Kansas Consumer Protection Act by not honoring a two-year warranty on the installation of an entrance and driveway, as well as not performing work on a project after he'd been paid.