An update on my story for any who are interested: I've mostly given up on any of my gear / money that are still in Brandon's possession. I've had a custom order out to him since Feb. 17th of 2016 for a one-off AKG K701 mod with custom paint, detachable cables, etc. I just checked my records and saw that I paid $165 for the mods and then sent him the K701 which I got used for $150.
The last update / communication I got from him (which was unrelated to the K701 project) was via. Etsy on Feb. 27th of 2018. The last update (with photos) that I got of the K701' project was on Aug. 1st 2017, and showed that they were pretty much beyond repair and that the project still had a "TBA" completion date. I doubt I will be able to start a dispute for the $165 through PayPal since the transaction is so old, but it is sad that I won't at least get a functional pair of K701's back. For those of you in a similar situation as me, you have my sympathy; and for those of you with a story you wish to tell, feel free to do so, we may be able to use the written accounts here in some way down the line.