A Twin Cities residential pool contractor must pay more than $2 million in refunds and penalties for deceptive business practices, according to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The default judgment calls for Charles Workman and MN Crete Pools LLC, based in Prior Lake, to pay $1.1 million in restitution to customers and $1.1 million in civil penalties to the state. Workman and his company are also barred from the residential construction industry in Minnesota.
According to the AG's Office, Workman would convince customers to sign contracts and pay tens of thousands of dollars in down payments only to later deceive them into making additional advance payments. But the company left projects unfinished, telling clients an array of untrue excuses — such as sick employees, permits being filed incorrectly, road restrictions or mechanical issues with his equipment.
"He lied to them at every step to get them to pay him in advance, and then disappeared with their money without providing the pools he promised," Ellison said in statement.
Ellison said that Workman capitalized on strong market demand for pool construction before fleeing the state. Minnesota sued Workman and MN Crete Pools in August.
"At a time when competition for pool contractors was fierce, Workman got business by misrepresenting to consumers that his company had only one more opening to build a pool and falsely promising to start and complete projects within timelines that were much sooner than his competition," Ellison said.
According to Ellison's office, Workman has fled the state.
District Court Judge Mark Vandelist issued the order in Scott County last week.
