Victims of house-repair scam get their money back

Tuesday, December 17, 2013 Last updated: Wednesday December 18, 2013, 2:08 AM

* State reaches settlement with owner of five companies accused of creating damage

New Jerseyans whose homes were intentionally damaged by a group of contractors during inspections and repairs have received restitution through a settlement reached between the contractors and the state Division of Consumer Affairs, the state Attorney General's Office said Tuesday.

Thirty-one homeowners received a combined $137,733.84 after being victimized by five contracting companies owned by a North Haledon man, according to a news release from the Attorney General's Office.

The state alleged AAA Reliable Inc., Old Reliable Construction LLC, A Safeway Construction LLC and A Safeway Improvements Inc. all owned or controlled by 37-year-old Sulejman Lita targeted senior citizens, offering them free inspections and low-priced repairs for problems found during inspections.

The state said company workers damaged chimneys, roofs and gutters before the inspections and coerced the homeowners into hiring them for expensive repairs.

One of the 31 homeowners, Daniel Sciarra of Riverdale, said Tuesday that he called Lita to clean the gutters of his home after finding an advertisement in a local flier.

Sciarra said that during the gutter cleaning, one of the workers damaged his chimney.

"He went up on the roof and he pulled on the chimney," Sciarra said. "Then he let go of the chimney and it fell over and he says to me, 'You need to get this fixed now.' "

Sciarra said he was suspicious and filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office.

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Victims of house-repair scam get their money back