Holbrook Company Denies Scam Allegations

A Holbrook-based business is defending itself from allegations that it worked in partnership with a Hicksville company to falsely send products to a Tennessee city's officials and then attempt to collect payment on the fake order.

Cavalluzzo LLC, which is listed as operating on Hillberry Lane in Holbrook, is one of two companies the city of La Vergne, Tenn. claims sent its utilities department tubs of drain cleaner it never ordered, according to local reports from news outlets in the state. The city says it received two invoices, one from Cavalluzzo for approximately $130 and one from Hicksville-based Nationwide Environmental Services for about $558. 

City officials say they refuse to pay the amount listed in the invoice, and its finance director, Phillis Rogers, believes the two companies were working in cahoots to defraud the city. 

“Maybe they just thought it would just get lost in red tape,” the city's PR director Kathy Tyson told local newspaper The Tennessean. “We try to be good stewards of public funds.”

But Jeff Noce, of Cavalluzzo LLC, says the accusations are false, and that they made an over-the-phone agreement with an official of the city, which is located due southeast of Nashville. In an email to Sachem Patch, Noce provided the chronology of the transaction.

"A product was ordered from us as a company as a verbal agreement over the phone by a costumer who had stated that he was Jerry Zimblo who worked for the city of Lavergne (sic)," The email states.

"He agreed to give us a small shot on a 2 gallon size container of our product Cava-Clear, at a discounted rate of $9.69 per pound. He then gave the proper shipping address as to where he wanted the product as well as the bill delivered. The delivery was received and properly signed for and we have yet to receive payment towards this order which is currently only 4 days past due. We have only received one phone call from the city of Lavergne since this order was placed asking us to fax over a copy of the proof of delivery as well as the invoice which we did. Once payment is made in full for $130.76 the account will then be closed."

Noce also denies any conspiracy with Nationwide Environmental in Hicksville. 
"I have absolutely no ties with any other company," Noce writes. "One Package was ordered from us and delivered to the correct address given at the time this order was placed. That package was signed for and delivered properly. Our one and only invoice for that product is for $130.76 and was due on 7/27/13."
Meanwhile the city has reportedly barred any future deliveries from either Long Island company and has contacted their legal counsel to handle the matter.