Now he's in trouble again, admitting to the Herald on Sunday that he went ahead with the Taylor family's sleepout knowing that the necessary building consent was not in place.
Steve and Deborah Taylor doubt they will see their $23,500.
King says that because Steve Taylor cancelled the building contract, he is entitled to claim deductions for materials bought, and labour. But he refused to provide receipts for the materials.
When asked if the Taylor family would see their money again, he said: "Steve Taylor did not want to sort it out. He didn't give us a chance to, he immediately went on the offensive and demanded a full refund."
Meanwhile, Taylor's father, who is 76 and hoped to recover from a heart attack close to the family, is living alone in a neighbouring suburb.
Court documents show King's offending goes back to at least 1982 when, at age 27, he was jailed for receiving four stolen vehicles.
In the 1990s King committed offences under the Crimes Act 1961 and the Securities Act 1978. According to court documents, he placed advertisements in newspapers offering securities to the public without a registered prospectus. Four people invested a total of $100,000, and wealthy American Joseph Simonetta put in $270,000.
In 2010 King was fired from Rocna Anchors after the company owners discovered he had withdrawn thousands of dollars from the company credit card here and overseas. Criminal charges were dropped after it was deemed to be a civil matter.
Rocna Anchors' former co-owner Steve Banbury said King caused an irreparable split in the family and the business was eventually sold for considerably less than it was worth.
King said yesterday he was unaware he was being investigated by the Ministry of Economic Development.
Asked about his checkered past, King said: "I have nothing to say about that."
