PENN TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -- An energy company's abrupt closure shocks a Lancaster County community and leaves more than a hundred people without a job.
A former employee confirming 72-year company Worley & Obetz shut down around 3 p.m. Monday afternoon, including Amerigreen Energy Incorporated and Molly's Convenience Store.
FOX43 could see employees leaving the office in Penn Township with items and boxes in hand. One man said, "I used to have a job."
A source said the company's remaining employees all lost their jobs.
Over the last month, Worley & Obetz had released more than 100 employees during two rounds of layoffs.
The closure comes after the company's CEO Jeffrey Lyons was reported missing on May 15th and then located in Minnesota two days later.
Soon after, the company announced it was being investigated by the FBI for potential fraudulent activity and that it had to adjust its operating expenses to keep the company viable. In a previous statement to FOX43, officials said Seth Obetz liquidated his life savings to keep the company going once it caught wind of the fraud investigation.
FOX43 called every number listed for the energy company; each had the same message - the office is closed as of Monday, June 4th, and no calls will be returned.
FOX43 also reached out on Facebook and through email but has not heard back from an official with the company.
A spokeswoman with Shipley Energy told FOX43 earlier this evening Shipley would be handling Worley & Obetz commercial accounts for now.
Shipley Energy posted about the reported closure on its Facebook page, saying if you or someone you know has lost their job, Shipley Energy has open positions - the company has openings for jobs such as customer service representatives and commercial drivers.
You can reach out to Janet at jfleming@shipleyenergy.com for more information or visit the company's job page at https://jobs.shipleyenergy.com/