In one case, Stein accused Triangle-area contractor Jorge Garcia scammed elderly customers in home repair schemes. ABC11 Troubleshooter Diane Wilson started investigating Garcia in 2015. Wilson announced the lawsuit in June 2020.
In Garcia's case Stein won a default judgment that permanently bans Garcia, his company JH Home Improvements Inc., and his wife Helen Smith Flores from doing contracting and home repair work in North Carolina.
Garcia targeted and manipulated elderly homeowners into hiring him to perform unnecessary home repairs and improvements. Stein said the work was rarely completed and the contracts were vague and misleading. When consumers complained to him, Garcia threatened to abandon the work. He also borrowed money from some victims and failed to pay back most of these loans, according to Stein.
Editor's note: Attached video is from January 2019.
Previous Troubleshooter stories on Jorge Garcia
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Unlicensed contractor at the center of Troubleshooter investigations admits to taking more than $3 million from victims
Unlicensed contractor admits taking money, doing illegal work
In the other case, contractor Dennis Daugherty is accused of misleading customers and failing to do work after Hurricane Florence.
Attorney General Stein won a default judgment against Dennis L. Daugherty, Jr., his Illinois-based company Green Lantern Services LLC, and his North Carolina-based company Green Lantern Roofing and Restoration LLC, for defrauding North Carolinians who hired them to repair damage caused by Hurricane Florence in 2018. Green Lantern representatives came to eastern North Carolina after the hurricane and went door to door, falsely claiming the business had a contractor's license.
Stein said, representatives also falsely claimed to have dozens of laborers ready to do the work and demanded advance payment, often inducing victims to sign over their insurance claim proceeds at the outset. Green Lantern ultimately did minimal, shoddy work, didn't pay subcontractors, and abandoned the work and left homeowners in the lurch. According to Stein, Daugherty promised to provide refunds to affected customers but failed to do so. The defendants must pay $260,829 in restitution and $45,000 in civil penalties and are permanently banned from doing contracting work in North Carolina.
"Scammers strike when people are most vulnerable - just like these two contractors did," said Attorney General Josh Stein. "When they do, I'll hold them accountable. I'm pleased that the court has acted to keep these two from ever taking advantage of North Carolinians again."
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