A hefty jail sentence was handed to a pool contractor who conned over 100 homes in Florida out of more than $1 million through a fraud operation.
Attorney General Ashley Moody of Florida stated on Thursday that Ricardo Villarroel Duerto, the proprietor of Villa Pavers and Pools, had been sentenced to eighteen years in prison on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering.
Villarroel advertised cheap pool prices to entice victims from all across Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.
Although homeowners paid deposits to the company for the pools, Villarroel failed to complete the installation.
One man claimed that after signing a contract with Villa Pavers and Pools in 2019, he paid $21,000 toward a $25,000 pool, but more than a year later, he still didn’t have a pool.
“I have no backyard. My kids can’t go out there and play,” Angel Lacasse stated. “All he has done is pour concrete. After I paid him that lump sum of money, he has just disappeared.”
According to Moody, some of the installations left the victims with enormous holes in their backyards, while other projects were abandoned after Villarroel stole the deposit and broke off contact with the victim.
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“Building a pool is an expensive undertaking and some families may save for years to build their dream pool. This shady contractor took advantage of nearly 100 Florida homeowners, including seniors, trying to buy a pool—causing more than $1 million in losses,” Moody stated. “Thanks to our Statewide Prosecutors, this contractor will serve a lengthy prison sentence for ripping off Floridians.”
According to Moody’s report, Villarroel collaborated with Luis Alvarez, a licensed general contractor, who offered Villa Pavers and Pools the use of his license to facilitate the fraudulent scheme.
According to Moody, Villarroel engaged Laura Ballester Alpizar and Michael Borrego Fernandez as salespeople in an attempt to increase his clientele. He also frequently utilized the license.
Under arrest for the same charges as Villarroel are Alvarez, Borrego, and Ballester. In addition to pledging guilty to both crimes, Alvarez still owed money. Ballester and Borrego are free on bond.
