CHARLOTTE – A pool contractor who left Houston with many jobs incomplete moved to North Carolina and has filed for personal bankruptcy, a Channel 2 Investigation found.
Robert "Jay" Bellar's bankruptcy filing from Aug. 20 shows he has $20 in cash and $31,000 in credit card debt.
Bellar owned Bellar Pools. Several of his customers paid him tens of thousands of dollars to build pools that they say he didn't complete.
"We saved for nine years," said customer Jeff Bateman.
Another customer, Linda Comeaux, was building the pool so that her adopted special-needs son, who cannot walk, would be able to keep his legs strong. After paying more than $40,000, the company shut its doors. Her yard was filled with a concrete pit without working plumbing or equipment. Comeaux said contractors estimated it would cost upward of $15,000 to complete the job.
Channel 2 Investigates tried to locate Bellar but he hadn't been seen at his business address or house in weeks.
After our first investigation into Bellar Pools aired in July, viewers told us they believed Bellar had moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, with his girlfriend. She worked for Bellar Pools, according to the company's website.
Channel 2 Investigates flew to Charlotte and learned Bellar ran up a $1,500 hotel bill for a weeklong stay after moving from Houston.
The bill with Bellar's name on it, obtained by KPRC 2 News, shows he spent $555 at the hotel bar and restaurant. Bellar's bankruptcy attorney said his girlfriend was with him during that time.
The check shows Bellar rang up $117 the first night at the hotel bar and restaurant, and $94 and $95 two other nights.
We found Bellar starting to load supplies from his Ford F-150 pickup truck outside a house in southwest Charlotte.
Channel 2 Investigative reporter Jace Larson walked up to Bellar, who groaned after seeing him.
Bellar refused to answer Larson's questions and instead closed an open garage door and refused to answer the door to the home.
Hours later, Bellar sent a statement saying his company had gone under. Bellar blamed the wet summer weather and offered what he called a "heartfelt apology" to "valued customers."
However, Channel 2 Investigates found Bellar had money problems long before the summer. Court records show Bellar owes tens of thousands of dollars to the Internal Revenue Service.
Comeaux was able to complete the pool in her backyard for her special needs son. Cody Pools owner Mike Church stepped in and completed her pool for free, along with help from other area businesses.
Premier Pools completed a job for two newlyweds in Katy.
Other pool companies helped customers complete their jobs at cost.
The following is the full statement from Bellar Pools:
"It is with much regret that Bellar Pools. Inc. must announce that it has ceased doing business. Like many other individuals and businesses in the greater Houston, Texas area, Bellar Pools, Inc. was severely impacted by the exceptional weather conditions that occurred in late spring and early summer of 2015. The excessive rain and flooding resulted in unforeseen increases in business expenses and construction costs. Consequently, Bellar Pools, Inc. is unable to meet its obligations to some valued customers."
"Bellar Pools, Inc. will likely seek a form of bankruptcy relief in the near future. Please be advised that any of its customers who did not receive the full benefit of their contracts with Bellar Pools, Inc. will be notified of the bankruptcy filing."
"Bellar Pools, Inc. deeply appreciates its customers' business and hopes that they accept its heartfelt apology for its inability to complete any remaining contractual obligations. Pursuit to my attorney's instructions, please direct all future inquiries to James Ferguson Esq. (713) 623-0870."
Jamon Comeaux was shaken as a baby and is blind and cannot walk or talk. His adopted parents wanted to build him a pool to help him exercise.