Complaint Review: A-One Janitorial - Newport Beach, California
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- Author Confirmed
- A-One Janitorial 17 Corporate Plaza Dr Newport Beach,, California United States
- Phone: (949) 244-5174
- Web:
- Category: Failure to pay my contracted salary, Financial fraud and money laundering, Fraud, Scam
A-One Janitorial - Ken Alston, Warning to Business Owners: The Risk of Selling to Ken Alston and Alston & Co. Newport Beach, California
*Author of original report: Warning: The Risks of Selling to Ken Alston and Alston & Co. A-One Janitorial LLC
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If you’re thinking about selling your business, this is an important warning to avoid selling to Ken Alston of Alston & Co., based in Newport Beach, CA. Ken Alston has a troubling history of using dishonest tactics in business deals, leaving sellers financially ruined.
Here’s what happened to James E. Massicotte, who sold his business to Ken Alston:
The Earnout Trap
When Ken Alston buys a business, he often includes an "earnout" in the contract. An earnout means that part of the payment for the business depends on how much money the business makes after the sale. On paper, this might seem fair, but Alston has a strategy to avoid paying the earnout:
- He Manipulates the Business Profits: After taking over the business, Alston lowers reported profits to make it look like the business isn’t earning enough, so he doesn’t have to pay the earnout.
- He Drags Sellers Through Court: When the original owner disputes the numbers and demands the earnout, Alston refuses to settle. Instead, he uses the business’s money to pay for expensive lawyers, forcing the seller into a long and costly legal battle.
- He Waits for Financial Exhaustion: Alston’s goal is to drag out the court fight until the seller runs out of money and has no choice but to give up or declare bankruptcy.
What Happened to James E. Massicotte
James E. Massicotte sold his business to Ken Alston and was promised additional payments through an earnout. Instead of honoring the agreement, Alston used the business’s income—money that should have belonged to Massicotte—to fund a long legal battle against him. This forced Massicotte into bankruptcy.
Alston’s strategy was clear:
- Take over the business.
- Refuse to pay what was owed.
- Use the seller’s own business income to fight them in court.
Massicotte couldn’t compete with the endless legal bills funded by the business he had built, and Alston walked away with the company while avoiding the earnout payment.
A Pattern of Dishonesty
Ken Alston and Alston & Co. have used similar tactics with other business sellers. Alston makes deals that look fair on the surface but uses loopholes and bad faith actions to cheat sellers out of the money they’re owed.
Warning to Business Owners
If you’re considering selling your business, do not sell to Ken Alston or Alston & Co. Their track record shows a clear pattern of unethical behavior:
- Manipulating earnout contracts to avoid paying sellers.
- Using business income to fund legal battles.
- Forcing sellers into bankruptcy to escape payments.
Selling your business should be a way to secure your financial future, not a trap that ruins you. Protect yourself by avoiding deals with Ken Alston and Alston & Co. and always consult experienced legal and financial advisors before entering into any agreement.
Don’t let what happened to James E. Massicotte happen to you. Proceed with caution, and prioritize honesty and transparency in any business deal.
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 01/18/2025 10:37 AM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/report/aone-janitorial-llc/newport-beach-california-ken-1535709. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content
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#1 Author of original report
Warning: The Risks of Selling to Ken Alston and Alston & Co. A-One Janitorial LLC
AUTHOR: Ken - (United States)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, January 21, 2025
If you’re considering selling your business, I want to share a story as a warning to avoid selling to Ken Alston and his company, Alston & Co., based in Newport Beach, CA. My experience with Alston is devastating, and his dishonest tactics will leave you and your family financially ruined.
Experience: How Alston takes your Business
When you sale a business to Ken Alston, He promises additional payments through an earnout agreement. This earnout is not tied to the performance of the business but rather a structured payment plan that should have been straightforward and guaranteed. However, Alston had no intention of honoring the agreement.
Instead, he used a calculated strategy to withhold payments and force me into a situation where you can't fight back.
-
Refusing to Pay the Earnout
From the beginning, Alston refuses to make the payments he owed under the agreed earnout schedule. This wasn’t a matter of business performance—it was a clear breach of the agreement. -
Dragging Through Court
When you confront Alston about the unpaid amounts, he refuses to settle and used the business’s income to fund a lengthy legal battle. Alston’s strategy will bury you in legal fees, knowing that you can't sustain the fight. -
Forcing Financial Exhaustion
Alston’s endgame is clear: drag out the legal process until financially drained. Using the income from the business he had taken over, he could afford an endless court battle, without the resources of your own company, you will be forced to give up. Eventually, you will have no choice but to file for bankruptcy.
A Clear Strategy of Bad Faith
Alston’s actions were deliberate. His strategy involved:
- Taking over the business and withholding payments.
- Using the business’s income to fund legal battles.
- Forcing you into bankruptcy to escape his financial obligations.
Alston has used similar tactics with other sellers, entering agreements he has no intention of honoring and exploiting legal systems to avoid accountability.
A Warning to Other Business Owners
If you’re thinking about selling your business, do not sell to Ken Alston or Alston & Co. His behavior shows a consistent pattern of unethical actions:
- Breaking earnout agreements even when not tied to business performance.
- Using legal battles as a weapon to exhaust and bankrupt sellers.
- Exploiting business income to avoid paying what he owes.
Selling your business should be a path to financial security—not a trap that leaves you destroyed. Protect yourself by avoiding deals with Alston and consulting experienced legal and financial advisors before entering any agreement.
Don’t let what happened to you.
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