Man Accused Of Impersonating A Registered Contractor Took $40,500 From Homeowners For Jobs Never Finished, Then Posted $38,000 Bond Ahead Of A Nov. 19 Arraignment

Two Connecticut homeowners paid a total of $40,500 for home improvement work, and police say the jobs were never finished. Now the man accused of taking the money has been arrested and has posted a $38,000 bond.

A house under construction with plywood walls and stacked windows waiting to be installed, illustrating a contractor job left unfinished

West Hartford police arrested Richard Kiely, 35, of Bloomfield, on an arrest warrant. The case was reported in coverage of the arrest, and the charges are allegations, not proof of guilt.

His first court date is Nov. 19, and the case is a useful reminder for anyone planning a repair before winter.

Police Opened The Investigation In March 2025 After Two Possible Scams

According to police, the investigation began in March 2025 after two possible home improvement scams involving Imperial Construction and Masonry. The probe stretched over months before an arrest warrant was issued.

In both cases, the homeowners paid for work that was never completed. Together, they handed over $40,500.

That is the price of a new kitchen, a good used car or a big chunk of a retirement account. For many families, it is money that took years to save.

Six Counts Including Impersonating A Registered Home Improvement Contractor

Kiely faces six charges. They include two counts of second-degree larceny, two counts of impersonating a registered home improvement contractor and two counts of notices in sales agreement.

The impersonation charge is a big one. In Connecticut, contractors who do home improvement work are expected to be registered, and that registration is one of the first things a homeowner can check.

Notice requirements in sales agreements are generally tied to the paperwork contractors must provide to customers, which is meant to protect homeowners before they hand over money.

Prosecutors will have to prove their case in court, and Kiely is presumed innocent until that happens.

Bond Posted At $38,000 And An Arraignment Set For Nov. 19

Kiely posted $38,000 bond after his arrest. He is due for arraignment Nov. 19 at Hartford Superior Court, where he will formally hear the charges.

Police are also asking for help. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the tip line at 860-570-8969.

If you believe you hired this contractor or dealt with the business, that call could help investigators understand the full picture.

Cases like this tend to follow a pattern. A contractor takes a deposit, does a little work or none at all, and then becomes hard to reach. By the time the homeowner realizes what has happened, the money is gone and the project is a mess.

That is why police and consumer offices keep repeating the same advice. A few minutes of checking before you sign is far easier than a long fight afterward.

How To Check A Contractor Before You Pay A Dime

Every state has its own rules, so start with a phone call to your state’s consumer protection office. Ask whether the contractor is registered or licensed, and ask how to confirm it yourself. Do not rely on a business card or a truck lettering.

Ask for the contractor’s registration or license number in writing, and then look it up on the state’s official lookup. Make sure the name on the registration matches the name on the contract.

Get a written contract before any work starts. It should list the scope of work, materials, start and finish dates and the total price, and you should receive a copy.

Be careful with large deposits. Many states limit how much a contractor can ask for up front, and a contractor who demands most of the money before starting is a warning sign.

Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away

Pressure to sign today is a classic warning. So is a request to pay in cash, a refusal to give you a written estimate, or a contractor who shows up unannounced saying he has leftover materials from another job.

Check references and look at completed work. A real contractor should be able to point you to past customers and let you call them.

It is also smart to get at least three written bids. Wide price gaps are worth asking questions about, because a price that is far too low can mean corners will be cut or the job will never be finished.

Pay in stages, tied to progress, and keep every receipt. Never pay the final amount until the work is finished and you have inspected it.

Keep in mind that a contractor who is registered can still do poor work, but a contractor who is not registered leaves you with far fewer options if something goes wrong. Registration gives you a record to check and a place to file a complaint.

When a deal feels rushed or too good to be true, slow down and ask a friend or family member to look at the paperwork with you.

If You Think You Have Been Scammed

Act quickly. Gather your contract, receipts, texts, emails and photos of the unfinished work, then file a report with your local police department and your state consumer protection office.

The sooner you report, the better the chance investigators can connect your case to others. In this case, it took two homeowners coming forward and a monthslong probe before an arrest warrant was issued.

Home repairs are stressful enough. A few phone calls before you hand over a deposit could save you thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache.

Willow and Hearth