Plymouth Township Couple Charged With Home Contractor Fraud
Entrepreneurship sounds like a dream until you do it. You might complain about working for your boss, but when you are an employee, all you have to do is show up at the appointed time and complete your assigned tasks, and your employer will issue your paycheck on payday. You don’t have to worry about the payroll taxes, the company’s utility bills, or ensuring that the clients pay. When you are self-employed, all of these things are your responsibility. It is easy to fall behind on payments or on completing work, as well as to make mistakes with record keeping. Unfortunately, some of these errors can lead to you getting criminal charges unless you catch them and make a sincere effort to correct them in a timely manner. Otherwise, it is your word against the prosecutor’s about whether you meant to defraud your customers or shortchange the IRS. If you are facing criminal charges for financial irregularities or substandard work in the context of your small, family-owned business, contact a Pittsburgh white collar crime lawyer.
How Much of a Mess Does Your Family Business Have to Be Before You Get Criminal Charges?
Operating a business is an inexact science. No matter how charming you are, you always run into dissatisfied customers sometimes, and in some cases, the best choice is to own up to your mistakes. The customer is always right, as the saying goes. Most of the time, your mistakes will simply result in complaints from customers. They might ask for their money back, write negative reviews about you online, or complain to the Better Business Bureau. While these consequences are unpleasant, they do not result in you getting criminal charges.
By contrast, if you accept payment from customers but don’t provide services or issue a refund, you could get charged with fraud, theft by taking, or theft by deception. If you lie about your financial transactions on your tax returns, you could get charged with tax fraud.
In the News
Eric and Rachelle Catenacci operate a home contracting business in Plymouth Township, and many of their clients, including homeowners and small businesses alike, have accused them of deceptive business practices. Five clients pressed criminal charges, and now the couple is facing charges for fraud, theft by deception, conspiracy, and other offenses related to their home improvement business. Customers say that the defendants accepted payment, failed to complete the work, demanded more payment, and then still left the projects unfinished. In some cases, they left the structures of people’s houses exposed, making them vulnerable to even more damage; in other cases, they left building materials outside for days, exposing them to damage and rendering them unusable.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for home contractor fraud. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/catenacci-construction-eric-rachel-arrested-charged-fraud-incomplete-work-plymouth-township/4265767/
