Cumberland County Man Gets Fraud Charges For Ghosting Client Who Paid Him To Replace Heat Pump
The gig economy is frustrating for people who depend on it as their main source of income. Whether you can pay your bills this month depends on whether enough customers want the services you are providing. If the weather is too pleasant, people might decide to walk instead of taking Uber, causing you to charge your groceries on buy now pay later (BNPL). If everyone is as strapped for cash as you are, they will not buy the homemade trinkets from your Etsy store, no matter how adorable they may be. Your neighbors will not pay you to babysit their children unless they have jobs or paid gigs of their own to attend to. The gig economy is frustrating for clients, too. Without job stability, gig workers do not have an incentive to walk away from an unfinished job, not unless the clients pay top dollar, and there is no consensus on what constitutes top dollar. At what point does walking away from an unfinished gig become a crime? If you are facing criminal charges for fraud because you had a falling out with a client in the context of your gig work, contact a Pittsburgh white collar crime lawyer.
Is It a Crime to Walk Away From a Paid Gig?
When a contractor takes on a home improvement project, the homeowner is not the contractor’s employer on an ongoing basis; there is no signing a W-4 or getting paychecks deposited every month. The parties should, however, sign a contract for the project, and it should include a payment schedule. Home improvement projects often rely on factors beyond the parties’ control; they often go over budget or fall behind schedule despite the contractor’s best efforts. Charges of financial crimes such as theft or fraud may apply if the contractor collects payment from the client but does not do the work. The client might also file a civil lawsuit against the contractor in cases like these.
In the News
In December 2024, the Lower Allen Township police served an arrest warrant on Jason Smith, a home improvement contractor whom prosecutors are accusing of defrauding a client. In the fall of 2022, a homeowner contacted Smith and asked him to replace the heat pump in his house. Smith gave the client an estimate, and they signed a contract. Pursuant to the contract, the client paid Smith a deposit of $5,500. Smith cashed the check and then never contacted the client again, nor did he respond to communications with the client. News sources did not indicate whether Smith has entered a plea or what penalties he might face.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for home improvement fraud after an agreement with a client went sour before you finished the project. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Sources
abc27.com/local-news/camp-hill-man-charged-with-home-improvement-fraud-after-refusing-to-replace-homeowners-heat-pump/
