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Former Campbell mayor arrested for passing bad payroll checks
By kalea hall
boardman
George Krinos, former mayor of Campbell, is free on bond from the Mahoning County jail after being arrested Wednesday on charges of passing bad checks.
Krinos, 36, of Tanglewood Drive, Boardman, is accused of giving bad checks to employees at Krinos Group, located on Sahara Trail in Poland. He is charged with four counts of passing bad checks, fifth-degree felonies. His preliminary hearing will be at 10 a.m. March 4 in Mahoning County Area Court in Boardman.
Krinos could not be reached Friday.
Two of his employees reported to police in December that Krinos had given them bad checks on multiple occasions.
The employees were supposed to receive checks Dec. 15, and they went to pick them up Dec. 16, but Krinos never showed up, according to a police report.
Krinos told his employees to meet him at his residence for the checks, and they received one for $1,948.50 and the other for $2,500. They were told not to deposit them until after 5 p.m. Dec. 17, but both employees were told twice by the bank that the checks were bad.
The employees then were told the checks given to them came from the wrong bank account and new checks would be issued. One employee received $1,491.37 and the other $1,745 and some change. The employees went together to cash the second set of checks Dec. 19 and were once again informed that no funds were available, the report continues.
Krinos would not return calls made by the employees Dec. 19. He called them Dec. 20 and asked to meet with them at his office. He informed them that the bank accounts were frozen and he knew when he wrote the checks that he had no money available. He also said, “There has been no work and no money,” according to the report, and finally told the employees they would never be paid.
Krinos Group, a financial services company, helps clients in search of “preservation of principle, increase of income, decrease in taxes, life insurance, or retirement strategies,” according to its website. Krinos is the CEO and president.
Krinos was Campbell’s mayor in December 2009 and resigned January 2011. Throughout his time in office, infighting occurred among council members and Krinos. At one point, he offered to give up his health benefits so he could have a full-time secretary, but took the health benefits back after the secretary was hired. He also rehired a laid-off firefighter without consulting council. Krinos also dismissed a law firm to handle labor contract negotiations.
William VanSuch, Campbell City Council president at the time, became mayor when Krinos resigned. VanSuch reopened negotiations when he became mayor.
Krinos also was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired in Columbiana County while he was in office. In 2012, he was charged with OVI in Beaver Township. In 2013, he was charged with driving under suspension in Boardman.