Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon and Nassau County Commissioner of Consumer Affairs Roger Bogsted announced that 15 individuals have been charged in connection with home improvement fraud. Two of those 15 individuals, Peter Pagoulatos (Pemo Remodeling, Levittown)and Thevenot Gourdet (a.k.a. Trevor Gordon, 2681 Caribbean Isle Boulevard, Apartment 2106, Melbourne, Florida), are charged with Grand Larceny. In addition, Pagoulatos is charged with Operating a Home Improvement Business Without a License.

"In each case," Dillon said, "homeowners were victimized by unscrupulous operators who took their money and then failed to satisfactorily complete the home improvements for which they were paid."

Dillon stated that "Peter Pagoulatos, 43, owner and operator of Pemo Remodeling has been charged with three counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D Felony, one count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E Felony, and four counts of Operating a Home Improvement Business Without a License, an Unclassified Misdemeanor. Pagoulatos, an unlicensed home improvement contractor, took deposits from July 27, 2004 through December 15, 2004, totaling $29,610 from four homeowners for various home improvements. He failed to perform the contracted work and has not refunded the money. In most cases, Pagoulatos performed some work and never returned, leaving the homeowners to hire another contractor to correct the work he had begun and to complete the job they had already paid him to do. In some cases, property was destroyed because of sloppy work and in one instance a Merrick home was left in a hazardous condition, with electrical wires left hanging out and metal shards protruding from the wall."

"Arthur Spero, 42, doing business as All Phase Plumbing, East Meadow, was contracted by a Uniondale resident to perform a minor repair on a boiler. Spero told the victim that she needed a new boiler so she entered into a contract with him to remove the existing boiler, and to replace it with a new boiler. The total cost of the work was to be $2,800, of which the entire amount was paid in cash. Spero told her that he would be installing the new boiler in a few days. For about six weeks following the payment, the victim called Spero every week and asked him when he would be installing the boiler. Spero repeatedly stated that he would come over to install the boiler, but he never did. About March 1, 2004, a plumber inspected the boiler and told the victim that Spero replaced a valve and that the previous problem she had with the boiler was that it had merely run out of water and that I did not need a new boiler. To date, the victim has not received her money back.

"This once again underscores the need for homeowners to check with us to be sure a contractor is licensed before paying them any money," Bogsted said "Homeowners should call Consumer Affairs at 571-2600, to check the legitimacy of a home improvement contractor or to register a complaint about incomplete or unsatisfactory work."

"I would like to thank Commissioner Bogsted and his staff for their assistance during the investigation," said Dillon. "We look forward to continuing to work with the Office of Consumer Affairs in protecting all Nassau County residents."