51 Unlicensed Contractors Nabbed in Countywide Sweep

Four charged with felonies after investigation discovers theft and shoddy craftsmanship

MINEOLA, NY – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that 51 people have been charged as the result of a two-month, four-part investigation into unlicensed contractors in Nassau County conducted by the DA’s Office and the Department of Consumer Affairs. Four were charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree for allegedly stealing more than $150,000 from homeowners for improvements that were either not finished, or never even started.

Investigators also rented a home in Nassau County and called in unlicensed contractors to perform “renovations.” The month-long operation yielded 17 charges of Operating a Home Improvement Business without a License, a misdemeanor, and the contractors' vehicles were seized under the County Forfeiture Law. Twenty contractors were charged with the same misdemeanor for shoddy workmanship that resulted in huge economic losses to homeowners, and ten more contractors were rounded up on outstanding warrants.

“When you hire an unlicensed contractor, you’re rolling the dice,” Rice said, adding that consumers should thoroughly research home contractors before someone is hired. “We are very aggressive on these cases and we will continue to work hard to hold these unscrupulous businesses accountable.”

Charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree were:

Vincent Scafidi, 58, of Brooklyn was charged with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree. Rice said Scafidi scammed $5,500 from an individual claiming he was going to install a cell phone tower. He is also accused to taking $7,500 from a second homeowner for brick and stoop work, and never returning.

Rich Martinetti, 46, of East Northport is accused to taking more than $50,000 from a homeowner to install a home theater system. After doing minor work and delivering two speakers worth $900, Martinetti never did the work or returned the money. He was charged with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree.

James Nichols, 45, of Rosedale was paid $47,500 on a major home improvement job, a second floor extension. $20,000 was to specifically purchase workers’ compensation insurance. Nichols allegedly never obtained the insurance and never did any of the work at the home. He has been charged with one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree.

Keith Knott, 35, of Rockville Centre allegedly took $39,000 from two homeowners for work never done. In one case, he falsely claimed he needed the money to pay suppliers and subcontractors. He was charged with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and two counts of Operating a Home Improvement Business without a License.

Charged with Operating a Home Improvement Business without a License in the house sting was Michael Stanley, 57, of Franklin Square; Gregg Novak, 42, of Wantagh; Ayon Codner, 23, of Freeport; Rabinda Dasrath, 33, of Rosedale; James Davis, 41, of Old Bethpage; Aleir DaSilva, 38, of Mineola; Ricardo Borzone, 50, of Rockville Centre; Mark Masseria, 47, of Hicksville; John Ankner, 42, of Holtsville; Thomas Orlandino, 47, of West Hempstead; James Martin, 41, of Franklin Square; Spiros Papadakis, 47, of Holbrook;  Domenico Caputo, 23, of Elmont; Angelo Urso, 60, of Kings Park; Adrian Beaumont, 63, of Roosevelt; Bryan Hateau, 25, of Merrick; and Samuel Thomas of West Hempstead.

Working in conjunction with the Nassau County Department of Consumer Affairs, the following people were charged with Operating a Home Improvement Business without a License after complaints were lodged with Consumer Affairs by homeowners: Adam Calderon, Copiague; John Demarco, Bellmore; Robert Calvagna, Carle Place; William Cann, New Hyde Park; John Maestri, West Islip; Steven Stecher, Uniondale; Diego Cortazar, Lynbrook; Janice Jefferson, Brooklyn; Jan Rutkowski, Lindenhurst; Rhett Wisdom, Babylon; Zahid Saeed Qureshi, Elmhurst; James Hatch, Roosevelt; Renato Gatica, Port Washington; Christopher Hannan, Selden; Angel Ayala, Oceanside; Juan Peralta, Jamaica; Anson Duncan, Island Park; Timothy O’Rourke, Ocean Beach; Joseph Amatulli, Fort Salonga; and Anthony Ingenito, East Meadow.

Arrested on outstanding warrants was Donald Kaefer of Rocky Point; Lionel Toby, 50, of Long Beach; Robert Hagen, 56, of Westbury; Samuel Pizzini, 37, of Central Islip; Jaswinder Singh, 44, of Flushing; Zeeshan Hassan, 29, of Troy, Mich.; Toumique Jacques, 61, of Farmingdale; Timothy Schneider, 58, of East Norwich; Florence DeNoto, 32, of Hicksville; and Joseph Foster, 47, of East Rockaway.

Handling the case for the District Attorney’s Office is Assistant District Attorney Vickie Curran of the DA’s Government & Consumer Frauds Bureau.  Defendants charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree face a maximum of seven years in prison if convicted.  Defendants charged with Operating a Home Improvement Business without a License face a maximum of a year in jail.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.