Since Sunday the Ohio Attorney General's Office says 95 people have filed complaints disputing over 8 million dollars of work they claim was shoddy, work that was never done, and materials not delivered by Energy Wise Home Improvements

Many of the people who paid Energy Wise Home Improvements did due diligence checking before hiring the company to do the job. Shane Morelan said, "We read a lot of comments different people had made. They were rated A with the Better Business Bureau and they were a member of the Home Builders Association or HBA."

Most people don't realize you can do a more in-depth search by looking up lawsuits against owners or companies. A search of the owner Anthony J. Porrazzo and found lawsuits. A check under the company search of Energy Wise showed two pages of lawsuits. In some the company was the plaintiff, the majority on those two pages it was the defendant.

The BBB has revoked the A rating. It says customers should not pay contractors the full price up front, but in installments and have that written into the contract and signed and initialed by the salesperson, so payment terms, the start date, and completion date are in writing. Vice President of BBB Services Melissa Ames said, "We recommend maybe thirds, a third up front, a third in the middle, and a third on final inspection. That's really really important because as a consumer that is your way to guarantee that our satisfied with the job."

The Energy Wise Home Improvement brochure given to Eric states, "Energy Wise is proud of their veteran installation department. All installers are employees of the company and are not subcontracted." But a subcontractor who also says he is owed around $5,000 dollars worth of work told 21 news Energy Wise used subcontractors for many jobs. Ames emphasized, "If you're now sure whether employees or subcontractors are showing up to do the work on our house, ask the people who come to your door or in your home are you an employee or are you a subcontractor?

The Energy Wise Home Improvement Brochure under the installation section also states, "The company has $2,000,000 dollars liability insurance. That looks great however people need to understand that liability insurance only protects the company if they are sued or if you sue the company. Liability insurance does not mean your job is insured. Google terms if you don't know what they mean in a contract before you sign and write a check. 

Ames also said, "The BBB recommends that consumers ask for a copy of the company's workers compensation insurance and to make sure all workers that show up to do work at your house are covered under that policy. If the workers or subcontractors are not covered under workman's compensation if they get hurt on your property or while working on your home you could be held liable for their injuries and treatment."

Mahoning Prosecutor Paul Gains is recommending people who paid Energy Wise but had no work done on their homes and no materials delivered, or who have projects unfinished to call the Ohio Attorney General's office at 1-800-282-0515 or file online at www.ohioprotects.org  Gains added, "If no work has been performed and money has been paid, contact your local police department where the contract was signed and file a police report.  If payment was made and no work was performed we have a strong circumstantial evidence that there was an intent to defraud which is what is needed to prosecute criminally. If a person paid and some work was done I'm encouraging people to contact their local attorney or file in small claims court. The rules of evidence don't apply in small claims court. You bring your contract, you testify to what is in the contract, and that should be sufficient evidence for the court to make a determination."

Gains added, "If the company files for bankruptcy there will be a creditor hearing down the road. I would encourage all of these people to attend that creditors hearing and perhaps even bring counsel with them because then the owner of the company would be placed under oath and subject to cross-examination by creditors. It could be the case that this man just ran out of money. But if he has hidden assets or engaged in any other nefarious activity then that would bring the awesome power of the bankruptcy court and the federal government on him. He can be examined at the creditors meeting under oath and if there is any type of fraud or bankruptcy fraud he would have to answer to that. We will make every effort to make people whole again. The Attorney General Mike DeWine has given me his word on that and our office will participate.".