Westmoreland County bed and breakfast ransacked after business deal turns into scam, police say

DONEGAL TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) — When an out-of-town business owner found a couple to run his bed and breakfast in Westmoreland County, he thought he hit the jackpot. But the business agreement quickly took a turn for the worse and ended up becoming a costly scam.

A guest of Baneberry Meadows Bed and Breakfast in Donegal Township tipped off the owner that something was awry. When they showed up for their reservation, the doors were locked and it looked abandoned.

When Smalley met Samantha Brown and her boyfriend, he thought he had struck gold, finally finding prospective owners of his bed and breakfast. Smalley, who lives in Tennessee, had put the Baneberry Bed and Breakfast up for sale after owning it for a few years. The couple told Smalley their long-time goal was to own a restaurant. He said they assumed they were “legit.” 

“They talked very intelligently and appeared to be very educated,” Smalley said.

A business agreement was made for the couple to run the inn, potentially buying it in the future. They took over in May and the first few weeks went great, Smalley said, until he got a phone call from a guest on June 1. That’s when he realized he had been scammed.

“We’re here and the place is locked up. It appears like it’s been abandoned,” he said. 

When Smalley arrived from Tennessee, he was greeted with overgrown grass, broken windows and more than 200 bullet casings strewn across the driveway. Inside, a 100-year-old antique bar was missing, along with the bar stools, a leather couch and glassware.

“She tried to sell all that on Facebook,” Smalley said. 

State police have identified the woman as Samantha Brown of Kentucky. There is a warrant for her arrest.

In the meantime, the bed and breakfast has reopened with a new manager. Smalley said he believes he got it right this time.

“We’re very invested in making this as amazing as possible, to transfer the feeling that we have when we come here for other people,” the new manager Rachel said.