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Lawsuit filed against ENC county contractor says owes $1.3 million after sending payments to email scammer

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published July 18, 2025 at 6:16 AM EDT
Chelsea Beck
/
NPR
The lawsuit filed by Berry Building Group alleges that county employees were deceived by a fraudulent email, and mistakenly sent payments for renovations to the new Lenoir County administration building to the wrong account.

A Greenville contractor has filed a lawsuit against Lenoir County and several county officials, claiming the county owes them more than $1.3 million.

The lawsuit filed by Berry Building Group alleges that county employees were deceived by a fraudulent email, and mistakenly sent payments for renovations to the new Lenoir County administration building to the wrong account.

The company said it received $2.4 million in payments for the overall $4 million but has not received the remaining $1.3 million.

County Manager Michael James, Assistant County Manager Adam Short, and County Finance Director Sandra Barss are named in the lawsuit. WCTI-TV is reporting that the county attorney declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
Annette Weston
Annette is an award-winning journalist based in Eastern North Carolina. Her career includes professional stops across the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and Southeast, recently culminating in a 2026 Region 8 Edward R. Murrow Award for Small Market Radio Best News Series for her work on the Camp Lejeune Justice Act Series. Guided by a passion for human-interest storytelling, she focuses on narratives that touch hearts and connect communities. A mother of four and grandmother of two, Annette enjoys reading and creating epic Halloween costumes in her spare time. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston