Bergen Contractor Who Bilked Senior Citizens Out Of Money Has Business Shut Down

An unregistered contractor with a Teaneck business address had his business shut down recently for using deceptive sales tactics against senior citizens and being paid for work he never completed, authorities said.

The state Office of the Attorney General and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs filed a suit against Leroy N. Brown, who did business as “B&K Masonry & Chimney,” despite not being a registered contractor, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said.

A state Superior Court judge granted the state’s request for an injunction Thursday, which froze Brown’s assets and barred him from performing any additional home improvement work in New Jersey, Hoffman said.

“It is no exaggeration to say the public’s health and safety were endangered by Mr. Brown and the illegal and substandard work he performed,” Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. “Through the legal action we have taken and the recent court decision, Brown can no longer put other consumers, especially elderly consumers, at risk.”

Brown had business addresses in Teaneck and Babylon and West Babylon in New York.

According to the state’s complaint, Brown told people on the phone and claimed on the business’ website that he was registered and licensed and that all work “is guaranteed.” He allegedly had a business representative misrepresent himself as a government inspector and tell a customer that if she did not have her chimney liner replaced, she wouldn’t be allowed to use her furance.

Brown was also allegedly paid for work he never completed, failed to complete promised work that had already been paid for, and failed to provide consumers with timely written notices of delays, and told people that work had been completed, when it had not been.

One family had to evacuate their home due to high levels of carbon monoxide following chimney liner work Brown performed, Hoffman said.

In addition to the multiple violations of the Consumer Fraud Act and Home Improvement Contractors’ Registration Act alleged against Brown, he also faces enhanced civil penalties because the majority of his alleged victims are senior citizens.