Colorado business tries to cover $23K subcontractor debt with 3-ton coin payment: ‘A major F-U’

A Colorado business wants to pay off its $23,500 debt to another company in three tons of coins, according to a report.

JMF Enterprises delivered a “symbolic middle finger,” when it attempted to pay Fired Up Fabrication LLC in quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies — that weighed 6,500 pounds — following a financial dispute that was apparently settled over the summer, a lawyer for Fired Up Fabrication told CBS Colorado.

The thousands in coins were delivered by a flatbed truck in a 2x3x4 box about six weeks ago to the office of Fired Up Fabrications’ attorney Danielle Beem.

“I think the thought was my clients would have to accept it and it’s a giant waste of time and a major F-U,” Beem told the local CBS station.

Beem said she was told by the driver “it was full of a mix of loose coins and JMF’s lawyer told her “it required a forklift to move.”

JMF previously hired Fired Up, a welding company, as a subcontractor to do work on an apartment building, but didn’t pay the business in full when the job was done, according to a lawsuit previously filed.

When the two sides went into mediation in July, JMF Enterprises agreed to pay the subcontractor $23,500, but never made clear how the amount should be paid.

Beem, whose elevator can only hold about 3,000 pounds, said she couldn’t accept the payment even if she wanted to, and called the delivery “petty,” CBS Colorado reported.

JMF’s legal team reportedly argued in court documents the coin payment should be allowed.

“The coins, being current coin of the realm, constituted a tender of the settlement funds, and therefore, JMF has complied with the terms of the agreement,” JMF lawyer Giovanni Camacho wrote, according to the news outlet. “The settlement agreement did not outline any specific form for the payment.”

“JMF has no intention to harass Plaintiff, waste time, or frustrate the settlement,” he added. 

A judge is expected to decide if the form of payment is appropriate.