Prosecutors say the suspect, an Easton woman, took the money but never performed any work on a widow's N.J. home.
A phony Easton contractor is facing theft charges after ripping off $29,000 from a New Jersey widow in need of help after Superstorm Sandy, the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has announced.
Trees are shown knocked down in this October 2012 file photo following Superstorm Sandy. Dorian Leigh Dammer, 56, whose last known address was in Easton, was indicted on the theft by deception charge, as well as second-degree impersonation. Dammer allegedly pretended to be a representative of a Paramus, New Jersey-based construction company and accepted money for roof repairs that were never performed.
"If these allegations are true, Dorian Dammer used deception to callously steal from someone already suffering from Superstorm Sandy," said Robert Lougy, acting attorney general of the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, in a statement. "Instead of helping this homeowner rebuild after this devastating storm, as promised, Ms. Dammer allegedly pocketed the money without seeing to it that the roof was repaired."
Prosecutors say the case began in October 2013 when the female victim, a widowed, retired physician, was searching for someone to help repair her roof damaged during Superstorm Sandy. A tree had fallen onto her Bridgewater home following the October 2012 storm, prosecutors said.
The victim filed a claim with Franklin Mutual Insurance Co., which allocated $37,128 to pay for the repairs. An acquaintance gave the victim the name of "Dorian Grey," a woman who purportedly represented Vanguard Construction Co.
But in reality, prosecutors say, "Dorian Grey" was actually Dorian Dammer, a former employee of Vanguard Construction who had been fired a month earlier for stealing from the company.
Dammer met with the victim to assess the roof damage and quoted her a price of $35,422 for Vanguard to do the repairs, prosecutors said. Dammer allegedly told the victim she also was a physician who worked with Vanguard Construction as a side business, prosecutors said.
Dammer allegedly told the homeowner to make out checks for the repair work to "Dr. Dorian Leigh." She went on to cash three checks from the victim, totaling $28,770, but never performed the work, prosecutors said.
When the victim complained about the work not being done, Dammer allegedly made excuses, blaming foul weather and sick family members for the delay. Dammer also told the homeowner that the repair job would cost more money than originally quoted and instructed the woman to go back to her insurance company for more money, prosecutors said.
FMI eventually sent an investigator to examine the situation and the victim called Dammer, who dodged phone calls, prosecutors said.
Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Christopher Iu said in a statement those forced to rebuild after such natural disasters as Superstorm Sandy do not deserve to be victimized twice by thieves posing as legitimate contractors.
He said the indictment shows the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor remains vigilant in prosecuting those who try to profit from the misfortune of others.
If Dammer is found guilty, third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $15,000.
Dammer could not be reached for comment Thursday. A man who picked up the phone at a New Jersey number listed for Dammer identified himself as her father and said he didn't know her whereabouts.
Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.