Milford, Connecticut police have arrested two people in connection with a roofing scam in Florida. The men are accused of working with others to steal more than half-a-million dollars in insurance claims after storms hit, but never repairing the victims’ roofs.
Officials in Florida said they have filed charges against five employees of Tampa-based NBRC Roofing Company, who are accused of organizing a $525,000 insurance fraud scheme that victimized almost 100 Florida homeowners.
The Department of Financial Services' Division of Insurance Fraud in Florida learned that the suspects visited homeowners after a storm, convinced them they needed roof repairs and helped them file insurance claims.
The claims they filed gave NBRC the sole right to make the repairs and the assignment of benefits for the insurance claim, officials said.
But the employees stole money meant for subcontractors, never fixed the roofs and left homeowners with liens on their homes, according to Florida officials.
Police took 45-year-old Carlton Duncan, 45, of Tampa, into custody at the office of CTST Construction in Milford on Wednesday, according to Milford police.
New Haven police helped apprehend 36-year-old Frank Pureber III, 36, of Apollo Beach, Florida.
Dunko and Pureber were both brought to the Milford Police Department on outstanding arrest warrants from the Florida Department of Financial Services charging them with first-degree organized fraud greater than $50,000, a felony offense.
They were also charged as fugitives from justice and were each held on a $500,000 bond before their court appearances Thursday. Dunko and Pureber could each face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Florida officials said Stacy Lynn Dunko, of Tampa, Joel Samuel Deserio, of Tampa, and Alexander Josue Gomez, of Riverview, Florida, and three other people were also arrested.
