Fisher Law Corporation

UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS ARRESTED

A sting operation conducted by the Contractors State License Board on July 25-26, 2018,  resulted in 15 individuals being cited for alleged illegal contracting. 

CSLB’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) compiled a list of suspected unlicensed contractors and invited them to place bids on home improvement projects for a
single-family home near the Corona Municipal Airport. Individuals gave bids for concrete services, fencing, painting, tile services, and more, which ranged from $2,500 for exterior painting to $21,000 for paving concrete; high costs to risk on someone who is potentially inexperienced and uninsured.

Fifteen suspects received a citation for contracting without a license (Business and Professions Code section 7028) after providing bids over the legal limit. It is illegal for anyone to submit a home improvement bid of over $500 in combined labor and material costs unless that person holds an active CSLB-issued license. First-conviction penalties for contracting without a license include up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines. A second conviction can carry a mandatory sentence of up to 90 days in jail. Penalties are more severe with each successive violation. 

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