Prosecutors: Unlicensed Air Conditioning Contractor Scammed L.I. Home Owners
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Pennsylvania man was in court Monday, charged with bilking Long Island homeowners out of thousands of dollars for air conditioning work he never performed.
Charles Gamzenmuller, 38, of Lords Valley, Pa., appeared before Nassau County Judge David McAndrews Monday, on charges of grand larceny, a scheme to defraud, and operating a home improvement business without a license, according to a news release from the county District Attorney's office.
He faces a seven-year prison term if convicted of the most serious charge.
Prosecutors alleged that Ganzenmuller got numerous Nassau County homeowners to sign contracts with him between January and May 2012. He claimed to be the owners of two companies called Assured Air Conditioning and Allied Air Conditioning, prosecutors said.
On Jan. 4, 2012, Ganzenmuller allegedly claimed to represent Allied Air Conditioning and entered into a contract with a Massapequa homeowner to set up a new boiler. The homeowner gave Ganzenmuller $2,000 for a downpayment, but he never performed any work, prosecutors said.
Ganzenmuller then claimed to represent Assured Air Conditioning when he signed a contract with an East Meadow couple on May 18, 2012, prosecutors said. He was paid $7,800 as a downpayment to provide interior and exterior air conditioning units, and did some duct work at the home but never provided or installed the units, prosecutors said.
Again representing Assured Air Conditioning, Ganzenmuller signed up an East Rockaway homeowner on May 25, 2012, and was paid a $5,400 downpayment for work on indoor and outdoor cooling units and other work that he never did, prosecutors said.
"Contractors who blatantly and repeatedly disregard signed contracts with homeowners, as well as flout licensing rules, have no place doing business in Nassau County," Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a news release. "My office will continue its efforts to hold unscrupulous contractors accountable for their crimes and to protect homeowners."
The Nassau County Office of Consumer Affairs said neither Ganzenmuller nor his companies had a valid Home Improvement license, prosecutors said. The alleged victims all filed complaints with the office, which referred them to prosecutors.
Ganzenmuller was released from custody on a recognizance bond Monday and will return to court on Thursday, prosecutors said.
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