Owner of estate sales company faces charges

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By Jason Stoogenke

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The owner of an estate sale company is facing criminal charges, authorities said.

Tony Hendon of Estate Sale Guys of South Carolina is charged with two counts of breach of trust.

Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke found at least four customers who are suing Hendon or his company. The customers said he sold their valuables, but didn't pay them the proceeds or paid only a part of the proceeds. They say he owes them between $9,000 and $15,000 each.

Another customer in Fort Mill doesn't think she'll sue, but is also upset. Jan Anderson said her mother had a stroke, so her parents decided to move to assisted living.

"It's very hard," she said. "This was not something that they ever thought would happen to them."

They felt that they couldn't take all their furniture, so Anderson gave it to Estate Sale Guys to sell in February. Anderson doesn't know if anything sold and said she hasn't been able to get in touch with the business or Hendon for weeks.

CLICK PLAY to hear more from Anderson

"I think he's a low-life," she said. "I think anyone that takes advantage of the elderly at a vulnerable time in their life, I think it doesn't get much lower than that."

Stoogenke went to Estate Sale Guys in Columbia in person and found the door locked and an eviction notice on it. It read: "Tenant has failed to pay rent when due or demanded."

The man who owns the business next door, Chris Livingston, told Stoogenke that he was hardly the first person to come looking for answers.

"What we've heard is they're doing a lot of selling and not very much paying," he said. "You know, in the beginning, you wonder if it's a disgruntled, you know, customer, but once you hear it 100 ... 200 times, you realize ... it's unbelievable."

Livingston said "100 ... 200" was not an exaggeration.

Stoogenke called, emailed and went to Hendon's home in a historic neighborhood in Columbia. He also contacted his lawyer. After five days, Stoogenke has not heard back.

If you're an Estate Sale Guys customer and you want unsold items back, try to contact the company. If that doesn't work, you may have to go to court in South Carolina and get a "claim and delivery" order. Go to magistrate's court for claims under $7,500. Go to circuit court for claims over $7,500.

BBB suggests that you:

  • Get appraisals on antiques or jewelry from qualified appraisers.
  • Research an estates sale company before contracting with one.
  • Get the estate sale company's offer in writing.
  • Get more than one bid on the items you are selling.

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