Scrap metal company in NJ accused of not returning thousands to former employee

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A company in Newark is accused of turning its back on an employee who says he spent his own money to pay the business' bills.

"We are here to ask about Warren Miller's money. What's going on here? He lent the company $41,000!" said Nina Pineda, 7 On Your Side.

Dublin Scrap metal's logo is a shamrock, but a former employee's having no luck getting money back he says he lent the company over a year ago.

It sounds crazy, but Warren Miller was so loyal to his former employer that when bills piled up, he put them on his own credit card.

"What kinds of things would you charge?" Pineda asked.

"Everything from PSE&G to equipment repairs," Miller said.

But Miller says owner Kevin Rafferty stopped reimbursing him, he had his boss sign a letter promising he'd get paid. Rafferty agreed to pay Miller $41,360 after the business sold an office building it owned.

"It never happened. The building got sold, he had some baloney story," Miller said.

The next step was court and Miller won.

"No! Never got a dime!" Miller said.

So 7 On Your Side paid a visit to Dublin Scrap metal.

"Hi, we are looking for Kevin," Pineda said.

"He's not here," someone at the business said.

"Who are you?" Pineda said.

"I'm the boss," the man said.

"Oh, well maybe we need to talk to you," Pineda said.

We didn't get much of a reception.

A day later, Dublin moved to liquidate all its assets for the benefit of creditors in an alternative to bankruptcy. And 7 On Your Side learned Miller is just one of dozens the company owes.

According to the company filing, Dublin's debts are more than $2 million; NJ Transit owed $141,000 and Con Edison more than $200,000.

Kevin Rafferty even lists himself as being owed $1.4 million, right above the unpaid debt to Miller who says he even took care of Rafferty's late mother. He says if she were still running the business, it wouldn't be in such bad shape.

"And I'm sure if the mother was alive, I would have been paid," Miller said.

The attorney in charge of getting people paid back said that they will begin the process of auctioning off the company's assets to the highest bidder.

Hopefully Warren will get some money back. The retiree had to scrap his plans to buy an apartment to pay off that debt on his credit card.