Contractors allegedly stole millions in fraud jobs

Two Minnesota contractors are accused of swindling families out of more than $1.5 million in payments for jobs that went unfinished. FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the details.

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (FOX 9) - Two Minnesota contractors are facing serious allegations of fraud, leaving numerous families with unfinished home projects and significant financial losses.

Contractor fraud allegations

What we know:

The attorney general’s office says contractors Ryan Pietron and Earl Bode are accused of taking money for jobs they either abandoned or never started.

Pietron allegedly took nearly $400,000 from at least 16 projects, while Bode is accused of taking more than $1.2 million for at least ten unfinished projects.

The backstory:

The Waturuocha family in Maplewood hired Pietron to repair their flooded basement after he helped them secure a larger insurance settlement. However, after starting the project, Pietron disappeared, leaving the basement incomplete and the family unable to afford another contractor.

Victims share their experiences

What they're saying:

"We can't even repair the basement because he has $17,000 from us — what would be used to repair the basement," said Angel Waturuocha of Maplewood. Another victim, Matt Morrison from Apple Valley, shared his frustration, saying, "It's not like he just tried and couldn't complete it. It was really deceptive. It was all about getting money, and he took it and ran."

Local perspective:

The state has already imposed a lifetime ban on Bode from working as a contractor, and Pietron is barred from applying for a license until at least 2030.

The victims are hopeful that the lawsuits will bring further penalties.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear if the contractors will face criminal charges or if the victims will recover their financial losses through the lawsuits.

What you can do:

The best way to protect yourself is to check a contractor’s license before hiring them.

If a licensed contractor does this to you, there’s a Contractor Recovery Fund that can help if you win a judgment.

Of course, in this case, the AG’s office says the contractors lied about their licensing, so you have to check online for yourself. 

If you feel you have been swindled, you should file a complaint with the attorney general, and the Department of Labor and Industry.