Newark, N.J. (Legal Newsline) — New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Division of Consumer Affairs have announced a lawsuit against Jeffrey Colmyer and Tiffany A. Cimino and their companies Rayne Construction Management Services LLC (RCMS) and Colmyer and Sons Construction LLC (Colmyer and Sons).
The state alleges the Ocean County couple and their home improvement companies defrauded dozens of homeowners. At least 26 homeowners lost $923,742 in federal relief funds that they paid to have their homes rebuilt, Porrino’s office says. These homeowners were recipients of a federal grant to help Sandy victims rebuild their homes.
“Instead of working to get Sandy victims back into their homes, these swindlers allegedly walked away with the money, leaving homeowners with little or nothing to show for it,” Porrino said. “This was especially devastating to residents who paid the defendants with government grant money only to see their home rebuilding projects sit idle for months and months on end.”
Porrino’s office seeks consumer restitution, the disgorgement of relief funds to the Department of Community affairs and a permanent withdrawal of the defendant’s contractor licenses.
The case is being handled by deputy attorney general Cathleen O’Donnell of the consumer fraud prosecution section within the Division of Law.