COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Marion man who was sued previously by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has been indicted on 51 felony charges by a Delaware County grand jury.
According to a release from Yost, the charges stem from allegations that Ryan Needels accepted more than $500,000 in payments from 21 customers in nine Ohio counties, but never did any of the work he was paid to do.
The 51 felony counts include theft, money laundering, telecommunications fraud and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activities.
“This indictment underscores our commitment to protecting Ohio consumers from unscrupulous individuals who exploit their trust,” Yost said. “This guy doesn’t know what an honest day’s work is. He was just out to line his pockets with other people’s money, a scam artist through and through.”
The indictment follows an investigation launched in February 2023 by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Economic Crimes Unit in Yost’s Consumer Protection Section after multiple consumers filed complaints about Needels and his business, Clear View Construction.
According to the release, the investigation revealed that, between June 2021 and October 2022, Needels used social media to attract customers, then had them pay substantial sums in advance for the construction of pole barns, garages and other home amenities that he never built.
The attorney general’s office has been appointed as special prosecutor in the case.
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