Fayette County contractor accused of home improvement fraud
A Fayette County contractor has been accused of home improvement fraud.
Nina Keedy and her son, Ethan Keedy, are out $37,750 after paying a contractor to complete work that was never finished.
"That was my savings to pay for this," Nina Keedy of Connellsville said. "I'll never get it back. I'll never be able to make it back up."
"This guy took advantage of not just me, but also my mom," her son said. "I feel sad for him."
They said they lost it to Andrew Nicholson, a general contractor they met in July. Nina Keedy said she signed paperwork and paid him more than $27,000 to build her a garage. Ethan Keedy said he gave Nicholson $10,000 to put in a fence at his home.
Both said Nicholson never did any work and never gave their money back.
"It was a different excuse after another. It was poison ivy, my daughter is sick, my dad had a stroke, my aunt died, my gallbladder had to be removed," Ethan Keedy said.
"It's not fair that somebody can take from somebody and walk around Scott-free," Nina Keedy said.
Tiffany and John Clark of Connellsville Township said Nicholson ripped them off, too.
"We said we want our money back," Tiffany Clark said. "He wrote us a check for the $10,250, and it bounced."
In May of last year, the Clarks said they paid Nicholson $10,250 to build the foundation for an addition to their home. They said Nicholson started the work almost immediately, but he never finished the job.
KDKA went to Nicholson's home on Thursday to get answers, but no one was home.
The Keedys and Clarks want justice.
"We are left here with all of this destruction, and we can't afford to buy the dirt to fill this in, let alone an addition," John Clark said.
Nicholson has been charged with theft by deception and writing bad checks. Fayette County District Attorney Mike Auble said anyone who thinks they have been victimized by Nicholson should contact his office or their local police.
