MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that a former Suffolk County man pleaded guilty to scamming 13 Nassau County residents and business owners for a total of $582,340 by charging for work he never performed, and collateralizing an investment with a property he never owned.
Anthony Delmaro, 42, formerly of Suffolk County, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the 2nd Degree (a C felony) before Nassau County Court Judge Alan Honorof for defrauding an Old Westbury man in a phony investment deal. Delmaro also pleaded guilty in a separate case before Judge Honorof to Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree (a D felony) and Scheme to Defraud in the 1st Degree (an E felony) for scamming 12 Nassau County home and business owners by taking money for home improvement and commercial work he never performed. Delmaro received a sentencing commitment of 3-1/3 to 10 years in prison, and civil judgments of $392,750 and $189,590 on behalf of his victims. He is due back in court on July 9.
“Over and over again, this defendant took the money of hardworking home and business owners with promises of repairs and profits on investments he had no intention of ever delivering upon,” DA Rice said. “By committing these crimes, he preyed on the desire of his victims to better their homes and businesses and provide for their families.”
DA Rice said that Delmaro, an unlicensed contractor doing business as New York East Coast Roofing Corp., performed home improvement work in 2007 for an Old Westbury man. In addition, the Delmaro asked the victim to invest money into the defendant’s business. After seeing the projects that Delmaro was working on, the man gave the defendant a series of checks drawn on checking accounts belonging to his wife and daughter. The total amount of money invested was $392,590.
Delmaro and the victim executed promissory notes and a collateral agreement whereby the defendant put up a property in Deer Park he did not own as collateral for the money invested by the victims.
The defendant started to pay down the promissory notes by giving the victim three checks totaling $7,500. On or about September 2007, the defendant stopped paying on the promissory notes. In addition, a check written out from another of the defendant’s companies, White Diamond Roofing, in the amount of $2,500 was returned for insufficient funds. No further repayment was made.
On July 2, 2008, the victim obtained a civil judgment against Delmaro in Nassau County Supreme Court of $422,527, including interest and further relief. Delmaro admitted in a civil court deposition to never owning the Deer Park property, and to cashing the victim’s checks and gambling the money in Atlantic City.
The case was referred to DA Rice’s office. Delmaro was arrested by DA investigators on July 14, 2009.
In separate case, Delmaro, doing business under a series of company names, entered into home improvement contracts with 12 Nassau County home and business owners between 2012 and 2013. The defendant entered into contracts to perform home improvement work on the complainants’ roofs. In each case, Delmaro did not provide any materials, and did not perform the work.
The total amount of restitution owed to the 12 victims is $189,590.
The case involving the 12 home and business owners was referred to the Nassau County Police Department’s DA Squad by the Westchester County Police Department. Delmaro was arrested on May 22 by the Nassau County Police Department’s DA Squad.
In addition to these cases, the defendant is also facing grand larceny charges in Westchester County and Suffolk County. Sentences to be imposed in all matters are expected to run concurrent to each other.
Assistant District Attorney Victoria Curran of DA Rice’s Government and Consumer Fraud Bureau is prosecuting the case involving the investment scheme. Assistant District Attorney Edward Bradley of DA Rice’s Government and Consumer Fraud Bureau is prosecuting the case involving the 12 home and business owners. Delmaro is represented by Marvin Hirsch, Esq.
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