SCAM—A local business owner is accused of taking advantage of unwitting homeowners and defrauding lenders using a state program meant to encourage energy-efficient upgrades.
A Thousand Oaks business owner is facing a long sentence behind bars in connection with a home-improvement loan scam that took advantage of elderly, Spanish-speaking people.
After a three-year investigation, Norbertas Sinica, 37, was charged last week with 159 felony counts, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said, including 10 counts of residential burglary, 32 counts of identity theft, nine counts of financial elder abuse, 32 counts of false personation, 32 counts of causing a forged instrument to be recorded and 34 counts of grand theft.
Two of his employees, Kelliams S. Chavistad of Long Beach and Selena Garcia of Riverside, were charged with over 90 felonies each.
“This alleged scheme preyed on low-income homeowners, many of whom were elderly and did not speak English,” L.A. District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “They thought they were getting a deal on home improvements, but they ended up living in fear of losing their homes.”
Sinica was the owner and operator of Eco Technology, which sold tankless water heaters and other energy-efficient products; Garcia and Chavistad were responsible for soliciting customers.
While on sales calls in 2018 and 2019, company representatives would tell customers the upgrades would cost them…
