Simsbury Developer Took Money, Didn't Build Homes In Avon: State AG

SIMSBURY, CT — A Simsbury developer charged with collecting money but not building homes was officially charged by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on Thursday.

According to a statement from Tong's office, the attorney general filed criminal charges against Sunlight Construction Inc. owner William Ferrigno, charging the Simsbury developer with three counts of failing to refund deposits.

The state alleges Ferrigno collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in deposits for the construction of new luxury homes in Avon and Burlington.

Ferrigno never built the homes and never returned their deposits, according to the attorney general's office.

Tong said it is a class A misdemeanor for a new home construction contractor to fail to refund a deposit more than 10 days after a written request if the consumer has complied with the terms of the written contract; if no substantial portion of the work has been performed; and if there is no reasonable explanation for the failure to perform the work, among other terms.

As detailed in the arrest warrant applications, Ferrigno collected $175,000 as a deposit for a $230,000 building lot and appliances for a new home at 94 Windsor Court in Avon, a $40,000 deposit for a $180,000 building lot at 99 Lofgren Road in Avon, and $180,000 for a building lot at 8 Highwood Crossing in Burlington, according to Tong's office.

Once Ferrigno collected the deposit checks, he never provided promised construction drawings or a construction schedule, Tong said.

In two of the three instances, Ferrigno never even owned the land he was claiming to sell, according to state authorities.

In each instance, the consumers sent written requests demanding refunds and Ferrigno never returned their money and never responded to their repeated efforts to contact him, Tong wrote in a release.

“William Ferrigno took hundreds of thousands of dollars in deposits for promised homes in Avon and Burlington. In reality, he never owned the land and never built so much as a foundation for his customers before running with their money. We’re filing criminal charges today to ensure his victims receive restitution and justice,” said Tong in a statement Thursday afternoon.

A class A misdemeanor carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.

While the jurisdiction of the Office of the Attorney General is almost entirely civil, the office has criminal jurisdiction related to violations of the home improvement contractor statutes.

Earlier this month, Ferrigno was charged by Avon police with one count of first-degree larceny in connection with fraudulently selling a Simsbury home for $300,000.

From Oct. 9: 'Developer Charged With Larceny In Avon: Police'