(RALEIGH) Attorney General Josh Stein today won a judgment against Roger Dale Simmons for allegedly running a contracting fraud scheme that targeted homeowners in the Triangle-area. In February, Attorney General Stein sued Simmons after receiving 10 complaints about Simmons that totaled more than $139,000 in losses. Simmons, who is also facing criminal charges in connection with contracting fraud, is now permanently banned from doing contracting work in North Carolina.
“I am pleased that the judge issued a permanent ban on this bad actor so he can no longer take advantage of North Carolinians,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “Roger Dale Simmons is now prohibited from doing any contracting or home repair in NC.”
Simmons is an unlicensed general contractor who has operated unregistered businesses under the names Modish Remodeling, Deck Ace, and Deck Ace Handyman Services. Attorney General Stein’s lawsuit alleged that Simmons took money from people to complete significant projects, such as building rooms or porches, but didn’t get the necessary building permits and inspections. He demanded advance payment for specific stages of the work even though he hadn’t completed the work that he’d been previously paid for. Once he received his last payment, he abandoned the project, and customers had to hire a new contractor. Much of Simmons’ work was shoddy, unsafe, and not up to code, so the new contractor often had to tear down most of Simmons’ work and redo the job. Many of Simmons’ victims live in Cary and Apex.
The Default Judgment states that Simmons is permanently banned from doing any contracting and home repair work in NC or advertising, soliciting, and entering into contracts with NC consumers for such work, and receiving payments from NC consumers for any product or service. He must also pay restitution to the State of North Carolina for the 10 consumers who submitted complaints to our office, in the total amount of $139,152.00. He must also pay a civil penalty to the State of North Carolina of $5,000 for each violation of the Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act, in the total amount of $50,000.
A copy of the judgment can be viewed here.
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