First the Eagles loss, and now this. It’s been a tough month for the “right outside of Philly” crew.

Campus Steaks, which was expected to open in the former location of Bradley’s Cheesesteaks & Hoagies, is probably not going to open for a while. The new cheesesteak joint was expected to open after students returned from winter break at 119 S. Pugh St.

There’s been radio silence from the shop’s social media pages and a halt on remodeling, and it’s finally apparent why.

Campus Steaks part-owner Joseph Ford of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, was arrested on January 20 and charged with 64 felony counts each of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, deceptive business practices, false statements to induce agreement for home improvement, and theft by unlawful taking, according to a press release. Additionally, Ford was charged with four counts of access device fraud.

This alleged fraud is attributed to his business, 1st Call Electric LLC, while working with 64 homeowners in Montgomery, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties. The alleged theft totaled $474,185.

The investigation began on August 22, 2022, after complaints from two residents. Police soon realized there were many more victims.

“Ford was doing business as 1st Call Electric and took deposits from most of the 64 homeowners for the purchase of a home backup generator and for its installation,” the release read. “In about a dozen cases, the deposit was for electrical work to be performed, unrelated to a generator purchase. None of the homeowners received generators, and the contracted electrical work was not performed. In several cases where residents used a credit card for payment to 1st Call Electric, their credit cards were charged more than once. The theft per homeowner varied, ranging from $1,419 to $16,450.”

Ford was unable to make the original $50,000 cash bail, which was eventually lowered. He was confined in Montgomery County Prison until February 13, when bail was posted. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 14.