Action News Troubleshooters: Contractor scams

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Donna Catalano hired CML Construction LLC back in 2014 to renovate this rental property.[br /][br /]She says the owner, Donato Marcello Larotonda, left her with just a shell of a home after she paid him $47,000.[br /][Ads /][br /]"He cut the circuit breakers, took the copper tubing, took marble out of the home, he damaged the staircase," said Catalano.[br /][br /]A lawsuit filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney General says Larotonda "never returned to do any additional work after tearing the house apart."[br /][br /]And neither CML Construction nor Larotonda's previous company, Mirage Construction, Inc., ever registered as a home improvement contractor.[br /][br /][url HREF="https://www.attorneygeneral.gov//uploadedFiles/MainSite/Content/Related_Content/PressReleases/Accepted_efiling_Donato_Marcello_Larotonda_CML_Construction_LLC_.pdf" TARGET="blank" REL=""]The lawsuit also cites complaints from other consumers.[/url][br /][br /]"We're here to go after them," said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro . "We're here to hold them accountable. We're here to get restitution for people that are hurt."[br /][br /]Shapirol said his office is receiving a growing number of complaints against home improvement contractors- 2500 this year alone.[br /][br /]"We've placed a real priority on going after - you know protecting people from scams," said Shapiro . "And going after these contractors who aren't acting properly."[br /][Ads /][br /]The Attorney General has taken action on 500 cases already this year, including the Larotonda filing and a [url HREF="https://www.attorneygeneral.gov//uploadedFiles/MainSite/Content/Related_Content/PressReleases/Accepted_efiling_Brian_Magee_dba_Celtic_Root_CIE.pdf[br /][br /]" TARGET="blank" REL=""]lawsuit against Brian T. Magee, Jr., of Celtic Root Landscaping and Construction in Pottstown.[/url][br /][br /]"They just left these homes in shambles," said Shapiro. "We're talking between these two contractors a couple hundred thousand dollars' worth of damage or worth of added cost."[br /][br /]CML Construction is now out of business, but Catalano is still hoping to get her money back.[br /][br /]"I'm hopeful," said Catalano. "I'm hopeful, but I am grateful to Attorney Josh Shapiro for filing this on behalf of me and many others."[br /][br /]Larotonda tells me he knows nothing about the AG lawsuit and denies the allegations made by the AG and Catalano.[br /][br /]About Catalano specifically, he also said, "I wanted to continue on and make it right... and she said, 'I'm moving onto someone else.'"[br /][br /]Brian T. Magee, Jr., did not return our call.[br /][Ads /][br /][url HREF="https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Consumers/Home_Improvement_Consumer_Information/" TARGET="blank" REL=""][br /]Click here for more home improvement contractor information for consumers.[/url][br /][br /]If you've had an issue with a contractor, email the PA Attorney General at scams@attorneygeneral.gov[br /][br /]----------[br /][b][url HREF="https://wpvitv.formstack.com/forms/breaking_news_6abc" TARGET="blank" REL=""]Send a breaking news alert[/url][br /][url HREF="https://wpvitv.formstack.com/forms/report_a_typo" TARGET="blank" REL=""]Report a correction or typo[/url][br /][url HREF="http://6abc.com/apps/" TARGET="" REL=""]Learn more about the 6abc apps[/url][/b]