On Wednesday, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced a lawsuit against four individuals and their four companies, on claims that the defendants worked collectively to defraud consumers out of their hard-earned money including customers in Schuylkill County. Michael Bloom, Robert DeHarder, Corrine Klose, and Adriana W. DeHarder advertised their home improvement services under the names “We Do Metal Roofs” and “Spade Crete” to advertise home improvement services for metal roof installation and concrete inlay. The businesses advertised that a down payment was never required to begin services, and that they offered warranties on their work. Instead, consumers paid large deposits for roof repairs or concrete installation while defendants kept the money and failed to start the work. In other instances, defendants performed partial and shoddy work, and abandoned the projects after receiving full payment from consumers. In instances where defendants did complete the home improvement projects, defendants issued warranties to the consumers and subsequently failed to honor the warranties after the consumers’ roofs began to leak or the concrete began to crack.
“Rather than staying on top of their promises to consumers, the owners of these roofing businesses repeatedly scammed Pennsylvania senior citizens out of their hard-earned savings,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “Any business targeting older folks with fake services will be sued. My Office remains committed to shutting down fraudsters and protecting Pennsylvanians.”
The Office received more than 60 consumer complaints against defendants’ business practices, some of which were filed by or on behalf of older Pennsylvanians. Some of the conduct dates back several years, but the Office was more recently concerned with the ongoing web of bad conduct that needed to be stopped.
One consumer, a senior citizen from Schuylkill County, contacted We Do Metal Roofs to inquire about installation of a metal roof to her residential property. On July 7, 2015, the consumer met with Bloom for an estimate and was quoted $36,000 for the job. The consumer signed the home improvement contract and paid $18,000 down payment. On July 8, 2015, the consumer mailed the Notice of Cancellation form to the Defendants and sought the refund of the $18,000 down payment. The consumer was provided with a less expensive estimate from a third party and no longer wished to seek Defendants’ services. Approximately one week after mailing the Notice of Cancellation, the consumer called and spoke with the defendant, Robert DeHarder, who informed the consumer that she wouldn’t receive the refund. The consumer called the bank to cancel the check, but the check was cashed on July 8, 2015. The defendants kept the money and the consumer was never refunded her $18,000 down payment.
Another consumer, a senior citizen from Monroe County, contacted We Do Metal Roofs to inquire about installation of a metal roof to his residential property. On December 8, 2015, the consumer met with defendant Bloom for the estimate and was quoted $26,000 for the job. The consumer signed the home improvement contract and paid $20,000 as a down payment. Defendant Bloom informed the consumer that he would return with samples. After weeks passed by and the samples were not provided, the consumer attempted to contact defendant Bloom on numerous occasions. About one year later, in December 2016, Defendant Bloom went to the consumer’s house and provided the samples. After many weeks of no further contact, the consumer again attempted to contact defendant Bloom who would not answer the telephone or return the consumer’s calls. The defendants kept the money without providing the service and the consumer was never refunded his $20,000 down payment.
On May 22, 2020, defendant, Robert DeHarder, pled guilty to receiving stolen property, receiving advanced payments for services and failing to perform, theft by deception and conspiracy, and was ordered to pay restitution. Bloom is also facing felony criminal charges in Luzerne County for receiving advanced payments for services and failing to perform, theft by deception, receiving stolen property and conspiracy to receiving advanced payments for services and failing to perform.
Consumers who believe they have been victimized by any of the defendants should file a complaint at www.attorneygeneral.gov or email scams@attorneygeneral.gov.