Gorgeous Maine Coon Kitten's review: Kitten or a complete refund

The breeder Joseph Anthony Reyes from Chicago Illinois. Contacted me because I was looking for a kitten for my niece. He told me the kitten and shipping would be 1, 050 combined.
$800 kitten
$250 shipping

I verified the references he gave me before sending any money.

I paid first a person named Jermaine Guillaume the $400 dollar deposit. The he requested I pay a person name Ellery Mitchell the balance of $650 which I did. I was then contacted by a person named John saying the crate Joseph used did not pass inspection. That I had to pay another $100 for a proper crate. So assuming everything was good, I was surprised when I didn't get my kitten. I then was told my kitten got sick and a vet bill of $100 had to be paid. I sent both to Ellery Mitchell. I was wondering if I been scammed and Joseph got angry and I didn't hear from him. I contacted John whom I thought and understood to be the liason for the shipping company. He stated that somebody named Fredrick Dewayne Manassas AKA Sam was caring for the kitten and wanted to be compensated for it. I ended up paying $250 using Vanilla gift cards. I once again did not get my kitten. I tried calling John and some guy named Benjamin said he found the phone in a Subway. I then heard back from Joseph saying John was missing. That the kitten was abandoned and he could get it, but whomever had it wanted compensation for caring for it. So another $150 I sent. I had asked for my money back and Joseph said he didn't have it and couldn't pay me for at least four months. Dam if you do and Damned if you don't situation. So Joseph claimed he could not get the $350 back from the shipping company, and suggested a pet nanny whom he said had delivered two other kittens for him. Another cost of $240 dollars. Again no kitten, I was beyond pist by this point. Joseph said the pet nanny Shawn was in the hospital with Covid. And he didn't know what happened to the gift card I sent him. I asked about him transporting the kitten, Joseph said he was broke but if I sent him gas money he would. I was buying the kitten as a gift for my niece for her birthday, and wanted it by the 10th of September when I was going to Connecticut for my class reunion. He agreed to meet me in Dubois PA that afternoon. I sent him another $75 dollars. I waited at the location for 1.5 hours, texted and called to no avail. So I left and headed on my way. Monday I got a text saying his engine was making funny noises, and he was on his way the past Friday but turned around. He also informed me that the pet nanny a man named Shawn had died at the hospital from Covid. That day I also heard back from John who said he had been mugged. Never said how he got his phone back. He told me that Joseph had lied to me about the kitten because he came and took the kitten back before he could ship the kitten to me. John did attempt to pay me back the money he had requested but I don't understand Bitcoin stuff, any way we are working on that. I gave Joseph a chance to explain what I had been told, he hasn't so far He wanted to sell the kitten to someone else, I said No! He wanted my sister in law number. I asked why, he said so he could get her to pay for the shipping. I said No! And that I had already paid him and enormous amount.
Any way Joseph is back to not talking or messaging me back, so I don't know what he is doing or has done. I just know I felt I was scammed for approximately 1, 600 dollars and no kitten. John did tell me there is a kitten, he held it.
I have felt like I was the only truly honest person. I have filed an IC3 report. So hopefully something will happen in my favor.
Stay Away from this breeder, bad news.

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