Chicago —(ENEWSPF)—November 12, 2015. Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced a lawsuit against the operators of two Kane County concrete businesses for scamming suburban Chicago residents out of over $85,000 for work that was either substandard or never performed.
Attorney General Madigan filed the lawsuit in Cook County Chancery Court against Thomas Patrick Ratz, of Aurora, doing business as Pathways Concrete and Envision Concrete, and Ola S. Williams, also of Aurora, doing business as Envision Concrete. The lawsuit accuses the businesses of violating the state’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
According to Madigan’s lawsuit, the businesses were owned and operated by Ratz, who partnered with Williams to run Envision Concrete. The lawsuit alleges Ratz and Williams cheated consumers out of money for home repair work that was shoddy or incomplete. In several cases, the lawsuit states, consumers were not refunded deposits they had already paid.
“Home repair fraud continues to be one of the most common scams reported to my office,” Attorney General Madigan said. “I encourage residents to call my office and check with the Better Business Bureau before signing a contract or handing over any money.”
Attorney General Madigan’s office received complaints against Pathways Concrete from consumers in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties who reported losses of over $50,000, and complaints against Envision Concrete from consumers in DuPage, Kane and Kendall Counties who reported losses of over $35,400. The Better Business Bureau also reported receiving complaints involving Pathways and Envision Concrete. Attorney General Madigan is asking the court to prevent Ratz and Williams from doing business in Illinois. The lawsuit also seeks to nullify any contracts, provide restitution to consumers and impose civil penalties on the defendants.
Attorney General Madigan encouraged consumers who believe they may have been defrauded by Pathways Concrete or Envision Concrete to contact her office’s Consumer Fraud Hotline:
1-800-386-5438 (Chicago)
1-800-243-0618 (Springfield)
1-800-243-0607 (Carbondale)
Assistant Attorney General E. Paige Boggs is handling the case for Madigan’s Consumer Fraud Bureau.
Source: www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov
