Integrity Development LLCJohn Puplava John Puplava should be named Anti-Integrity Investments-stole $60,000 for renovations never started Tucson Arizona

Nov 2012, 4 months after my husband passed away from cancer and I met John Puplava and his "partner" Aaron at a charity event, I became interested in investing some money left to me in real estate while the market was good for investments.  After several meetings and bringing in my best friend from CA, we both agreed to invest together on a property on Yavapai that was a "rare find" because it was a triplex.  Two of the buildings had to be gutted and the 3rd one needed to be completely torn down.  After giving John $30K each, totaling $60K, for the renovation portion of the project as a trial working with his company, the communication (or lack thereof) over the next year was very similar to what I have read on this website for ripping people off.  It is not surprising that John's name came up as the first Ripoff when searching "Integrity Investments".  Our contract included completing the renovation and sale of the 3 units within a year, and both my friend and I were named as beneficiaries through Stewart Title.  John paid only $15K for the property and all 3 buildings, and when my friend came in from CA to see the progress, we scheduled a showing, which turned out to be almost a no-show.  That was Feb 2012. 

John finally showed up over an hour late after coaxing from his partner to come see us at the property.  John also showed us the sink-hole in front of the front main unit and proceeded to explain how his truck had gotten stuck in the sink hole and that the bank who had the property in foreclosure when he acquired it had another week to decide how to remedy.  John indicated that he was interested in the other units on the other side of the driveway and wanted to leverage the problem with this property to obtain the other units.  The doors on the 2 back units were locked and John did not have the key but assured us both, as the investors with the most investment on the property and the contributors to the renovation of the units, that the inside of both back 2 units had been gutted and they were would be rebuilding over the next couple of months, but they were at a standstill until the bank's deadline regarding the sinkhole.  But, as with every other promise John made to us, the promised pictures of the interior of the other 2 units via email. never showed up in any way.  In fact, the last time (March 2013) we insisted on the pictures or some sort of show of progress, or even the conclusion with the bank dispute, John only sent a picture of the notice on the front unit of condemnation and implied the I called in the complaint that resulted in the condemming of my own property! 

We continued to contact John and I was cordial and still hopeful he would be good on his word and contract, but my friend became very suspicious of him when nothing ever seemed to be done or followed through.  Not even very simple questions such as adding both of us to the insurance they enlisted on the property, as was their new process for all properties acquired, but was not required.  We were told we would get a copy of the property insurance so many times I can't count, but when it came down to actually getting it, we were then told that they did not even have to have the insurance and so were not either required to provide proof that the insurance was issued on the property.  Why even say it was at all then?  We heard a lot of self-proclaimed glowing accolades about the millions they had made for other investors over the past 10 years, and we were assured that our "investment was fine" as our hopes waned that anything was ever going to be completed so the property could be sold and we would get our money back plus the ROI we were contracted to receive. 

After many requests by both my friend and myself to get progress reports, the pictures we were promised, the outcome of the sinkhole bank deadline, we heard nothing.  We were actually accused by John and Aaron of harrassing THEM!  Aaron told me later that his best friend and partner also owed him in the 100's of thousands and he never expected to get any of it back.  He did not seem too worried about it because by that time, a year later, he had separated from John and is now doing real estate on his own!  Finally my fellow investor friend asked John repeatedly for the name of his lawyer and we set an appt conference call per John's suggestion and contact information.  When we contacted the law firm the day before the conference call in order to validate the appt time John had set for all of us, the firm said they had a consultation with John on another matter but that he was not a client, and they had no such scheduled conference call. 

Since that time, we have been consulting with attorneys, meeting with other scammed investors and contractors who all claim the same thing, which is that John takes money, doesnt pay for work done, and owes so many people in Tucson that he goes into hiding.  At some point, the law will catch up to him and he will end up in prison.  If the Attorney General's office does not take notice and prosecute this man, and everyone else does not continue to ban together and hit him with the civil lawsuits to take him out of commission, then he will continue these scams and so will the complaints and lawsuits.  If anyone out there would like to join the growing cause to keep John Puplava and his associates from stealing from more people and get their money back, we are certainly happy to add you to the growing list of disgruntled and scammed contractors and investors!