By John Burton
FREEHOLD – A Staten Island man was arrested Thursday for allegedly defrauding Rumson homeowners by failing to complete repairs on their Sandy-damage residence for which they paid.
Investigators for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Super Storm Sandy Fraud Task Force have charged Frank Lewery, 51, with two counts of third-degree theft by failure to make required disposition, one count of third-degree forgery and one count of fourth-degree failure to register with the state Division of Consumer Affairs, according to Charles Webster, public information officer for the prosecutor’s office.
Lewery had been doing business as FTK Contractors and FTK Developers when he entered into a contract with the homeowners last November to do the repairs on their Harbor Drive home, damaged in last October’s storm. Webster said the homeowners gave Lewery three checks over for a number of months for the work and to purchase material, including a granite countertop.
Authorities allege Lewery never bought the material nor did the work; instead he cashed the checks at check cashing facilities in State Island and Brooklyn, forged a check and asked a kitchen designer to lie about an order. The investigation also reveled Lewery never registered with the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs as a home improvement contractor, as required by state law, Webster said.
Lewery is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold, on $75,000 bail.
