Scott Romero Admitted To Repeatedly Violating Court Order Barring Him From Engaging In Snow Removal Work
Romero Sentenced To 30 Days In Jail On Each Of Six Violations
BUFFALO – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that serial snow removal scammer Scott Romero has admitted to six violations of a court order that was obtained against him in 2011. The violations were admitted this morning before Justice Catherine Nugent Panepinto of the Erie County Supreme Court and Mr. Romero was sentenced to a total of six months in jail – 30 days on each of 6 violations.
The original 2011 court order, obtained by the Attorney General’s Office, was based on allegations that Mr. Romero scammed consumers in the Buffalo area by failing to provide promised snow removal services after accepting up-front payments. Earlier this year, contempt of court charges were filed against Romero after he was accused of scamming additional consumers in the Rochester area. Mr. Romero has admitted that he was in violation of the previous court order when he resumed his snow removal business under a false name and scammed additional victims in Rochester in 2013 and 2014, he is required to refund over $50,000 to these consumers.
“My office will not hesitate to take action against those who defraud New York consumers, including seeking jail time for the worst offenders” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Middle class families across Western New York depend on snow removal services to get to work and to keep their families safe. Contractors who rip off families who are paying hard-earned money for these services must be held accountable.”
When Mr. Romero was first accused of wrongdoing in 2011, a court order obtained by Attorney General Schneiderman’s Office required Romero to pay $50,000 in restitution to victims and to put up a $150,000 bond before he could accept any advance payments from consumers for snow removal work. Attorney General Schneiderman’s Office alleged in a January court filing that Romero failed to put up a $150,000 bond, and scammed additional customers via the very same scheme of accepting advance payment and then failing to provide promised services. Today’s sentencing resolves the state’s contempt of court charges against Romero.
This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General James M. Morrissey in the Buffalo Regional Office, Assistant Attorney General Benjamin Bruce in the Rochester Regional Office, and Senior Consumer Frauds Representative Emily Brightman in the Rochester Regional Office. The Buffalo Regional Office is led by Assistant Attorney General In Charge Michael Russo and the Rochester Regional Office is led by Acting Assistant Attorney General In Charge Gary M. Levine. The Division of Regional Offices is led by Executive Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs Marty Mack.