Crime Blotter

State Alleges Roofer Took Deposits, Left Jobs Undone

Attorney general alleges roofer collected deposits, left projects unfinished and failed to provide refunds

By Tanja Kern, Senior Strategic Content Editor

Judson McCranie / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

West Virginia State Capitol in Charleston, W.V.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey has filed a lawsuit against Winfield contractor John Cook and Patriot Roofing & Framing LLC, alleging they accepted consumer payments for home improvement projects that were never completed and, in some cases, failed to provide refunds.

The complaint, filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court, alleges Cook violated the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act through a pattern of taking deposits for roofing projects and either failing to begin work or leaving jobs unfinished. The state began investigating after receiving multiple consumer complaints in 2024.

According to the lawsuit, several homeowners paid thousands of dollars in deposits for roofing work in 2023 but reported that little or no work was performed. The complaint cites at least five consumers who collectively paid more than $27,000 in deposits. In some cases, roofing materials were delivered but projects were never completed, the lawsuit alleges.

The state also alleges Cook promised refunds to some customers but failed to provide them. In a September 2024 email included in the complaint, Cook wrote that he was "working on a way to get EVERY customer their refund as quickly as possible" and promised outstanding complaints would be resolved by the end of the year. The complaint alleges those refunds were not made.

"Home improvements are an expensive investment — people sometimes save up for years for this type of work. Then, to have a contractor not finish the job or not show up at all can be devastating and is wrong," McCuskey said in a statement.

Cook held a West Virginia contractor's license from February 2019 until September 2024, when it was placed on inactive status. The license was reactivated in December 2024, according to the complaint.

The attorney general is asking the court to permanently bar Cook from providing home improvement or contracting services in West Virginia, order restitution for affected consumers, impose civil penalties and award attorney fees and investigative costs. The allegations have not been proven in court.

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Tanja Kern covers economic trends and the intersection of architecture, design, and construction for Roofing Contractor, with an emphasis on the forces reshaping the industry. She develops and amplifies content that connects roofing professionals with the intelligence they need to compete and grow.

With more than 20 years of experience, Tanja has written for national business, consumer and trade publications. She holds a Master of Science in magazine publishing from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.