Upwards of 100 victims claiming over $1 million in losses to alleged coin con connoisseur and Gold Pro owner Michael James White, of Beaumont, will collectively share cross-country prosecution of the man they say bilked them of their life savings, according to an announcement made in Jefferson County Judge Raquel West’s 252nd Criminal District Court on March 6. The felony-level theft of service plumbing work White allegedly stiffed Marathon Plumbing for will continue in the Beaumont-based court, the next appearance on that matter set for April 10.
White stood before Judge West this week to answer the theft of service charge related to the home repair, as well as announce ready for trial on – another in a series – felony theft charge related to selling someone gold but failing to follow through with ponying up the product as promised.
A confluence of complaints posed to the Beaumont police, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, the FBI, and The Examiner from across the nation have detailed a pattern recorded, perhaps first, at the local BBB.
In the beginning
The BBB’s file for Gold Pro LLC contains a pattern of complaints in which consumers allege delivery, refund, customer service and service issues, according to information from the 110-year-old marketplace supervisors.
“Specifically, consumers allege they paid in full for products that have not been received at all or delivered in a timely manner, failure of the business to provide promised package tracking numbers and failure to honor promised refunds,” a statement from the BBB regarding Gold Pro read as of 2022. “Additionally, customers allege failure of the business to respond to their calls, removal of the business website and discovery of a new business name and website with the same business phone number.
“BBB contacted the company in May 2020 requesting that they address the pattern of complaints and propose a method to eliminate the pattern from continuing. To date, BBB has not received a response from the company.”
The BBB records of White complaints date back to 2019, the Gold Pro owner just one year into business. The complaints kept coming. Even as White was subjected to criminal probes and indictments, customers alleged White never ceased the con game. Complainants further allege that White delivered a combination of excuses, silence and, in one case, two 40-pound dumbbells instead of the $90,000 in coins ordered. A few more customers reported that their precious metals were fakes or never came at all, while more still complained that their shipment was only sent after months of delays and eventual calls to authorities.
Hit after hit
Not quite admitting guilt, but quietly covering for the gross deficiency in previously paid amounts as agreed for gold transactions, White cleared the criminal docket of several felony theft indictments before 2023, leaving just one case related to a precious metal sale made to a man in New York still in the court system.
White firmly denied the New York City customer was scammed – and demanded his defense team be allowed to test the gold sent to the East Coast customer. In court on March 6, Jefferson County prosecutor Bobby Ortego advised that the gold had long since been back in Texas, not that White or his team had any interest in testing the gold – or whatever it is. It may be gold – or it may be a dumbbell – since what you get in exchange for your paid-in-full order is like a box of chocolates, according to what customers say of Gold Pro product.
Even though White didn’t see the value in picking up the “precious” metal, Ortego said someone else found a use for it.
“The feds came and got the gold, I believe,” Ortego said. According to the county prosecutor, the federal government will pick up the White prosecution henceforth, adding it to other similar allegations against the defendant already under their auspices.
A review of the federal filing system did not reveal an indictment for White as of press time. According to what former Beaumont Police Department detective and current BBB Southeast Texas investigator Lisa Jardine knows of the investigation, an indictment could be extensive given the sheer number of complainants. At the local nonprofit BBB, there were 43 complaining victims – and the feds reportedly are in receipt of even more.
Even as the precious metals merchant faced felony theft indictments for stealing payments for gold and silver between 2021 and 2023, the pecuniary profiteer continued to peddle his proprietorship, continuously sparking complaints and concerns locally and nationally. At least now, Jardine believe, White is no longer in business.
“As far as I know, he is no longer doing anything,” Jardine said, before explaining why: “No one has filed any complaints lately.”
Those who have suffered losses or who have been victims of White’s business may contact The Examiner at (409) 832-1400 or the BBB at (409) 835-5348.