Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against Ohio Builder Accused Of Stealing $500,000 From Customers

A Central Ohio builder has been sued by the Ohio attorney general and is now indicted on over 51 criminal charges related to the loss of $500,000 by customers. The builder was tasked with building pole barns and garages for Ohio residents. According to the allegations, the builder accepted money from customers to complete pole barns and garages for his customers but never did any of the work. 21 customers filed complaints against the builder and alleged that he had failed to uphold his end of the contract. Attorney General David Yost characterized the builder as a scam artist who took down payments from honest Ohio residents who were looking to have garages and pole barns built on their properties.

Criminal charges filed against the builder 

The builder is now facing 51 felony counts that include theft, money laundering, telecommunications fraud, and engaging in a pattern of corrupt practices. The investigation was launched in February of 2023 by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Economic Crimes Unit in the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Section after multiple consumers filed complaints against the builder and his business, Clear View Construction.

According to the investigation, between June 2021 and October of 2022, the builder advertised on social media to attract customers. He then coaxed them to make extravagant down payments for the construction of pole barns and garages, and other home improvement projects that he never fulfilled. The investigation was spurred by a civil lawsuit filed by Yost in October 2022 against the builder and his business. Since that lawsuit, multiple individuals have stepped forward claiming that they were also duped by the contractor. The builder is accused of recovering $500,000 in down payments for projects that were never fulfilled.

What to do if a contractor does not fulfill their end of the bargain 

You should report any contractor who fails to provide the agreed-upon work. You can contact the attorney general or you can hire an attorney. The Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (CSPA) protects Ohio consumers from unfair, deceptive, or unconscionable business practices in connection with a consumer transaction. Among the provisions of the CSPA, it prohibits sellers from misrepresenting the nature of their business, products, or services. It also prohibits sellers from misrepresenting the price of their goods and the terms of a transaction. The CSPA further prohibits sellers from taking advantage of customers who cannot read or have a mental disability. In these cases, violations of CSPA are actionable and you can recover damages related to unfair or deceptive business practices.

Frauds such as these are more common than you may think. The newspapers have several articles concerning deceptive practices related to contractors and builders who never completed the work they were tasked with completing.

Talk to a Consumer Claims Attorney in Dayton and Columbus, Ohio 

Kohl & Cook Law Firm, LLC represents the interests of consumers in consumer claims against businesses for unfair or deceptive business practices. Call our Columbus consumer lawyers today to schedule an appointment, and we can begin discussing your claims right away.

Source:

ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Media/News-Releases/August-2023/Central-Ohio-Builder-Accused-of-Stealing-$500-000