Orland Homeowner Defrauded By New Lenox Contractor In Home Repair Scam: Prosecutor

ORLAND PARK, IL -- A New Lenox man left a trail of unfinished home improvement projects in Orland Park, Frankfort and Glenview after he defrauded an homeowners out of thousands of dollars for work he never performed, prosecutors said. Robert Jabaay, 41, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on a felony charge of home repair fraud, after he allegedly cashed an Orland Park homeowner's check but never returned to do the work. A warrant was served Oct. 5 for Jabaay’s arrest at Will County Jail, where Jabaay is currently being held on another home repair fraud case in Frankfort.

According to the charges, Jabaay entered into an agreement on Feb. 23 to install hardwood flooring in an Orland Park woman’s home in the 1700 block of Highwood Drive. The prosecutor said the customer paid $6,500 in full for the job. Jabaay is said to have cashed the check on Feb. 24 at Fifth Third Bank, but never returned to install the flooring.

That same month, Jabaay entered into a similar written contract to repair a Frankfort couple’s home for $17,022, the prosecutor said. Jabaay allegedly cashed the check but never returned to finish the work.

The New Lenox man has another pending theft case from 2015 in Glenview for “exerting unauthorized control over [a homeowner’s] property for $4,400,” according to court records.

The assistant public defender told the judge that Jabaay is self-employed and prior to these charges he has had no problems. He is supporting his parents-in-law.

The assistant public defender asked the judge if he would consider electronic monitoring.

“This is a man who has three pending cases,” Cook County Judge Peter Felice said. “I’m raising his bail to $100,000.”

Past customers left complaints about Jabaay on the consumer watchdog site Ripoff Report in 2012 and 2017, alleging that Jabaay is a “scam artist” who took money but never finished the home repair jobs.

Jabaay is currently being held on $325,000 bail in Will County and has reportedly told the court that he cannot make bail. He was arrested on a warrant Sept. 5 in Will County.

Jabaay is due back in court Nov. 2 in Bridgeview.