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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 originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
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