middle-aged contractor loses $60,000 to romance scam via online messaging leading to unpaid home improvement projects

Summary

A Buffalo-area contractor, Charles Contrino, claimed he was the victim of an online romance scam that drained his accounts and left him unable to complete home improvement projects for customers. The scam, which involved an online interaction Contrino believed was with a woman, led him to send tens of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency. As a result, he failed to complete projects for homeowners like Doug Buszka and Chris Papadimitriou, who were left unpaid. Contrino did not appear in small claims court where Buszka was awarded $2,500 for unfinished work. He reported the scam to the Erie County Sheriff's Office but said they could not help. Some affected homeowners, like Papadimitriou, remain skeptical of Contrino’s explanation and are seeking repayment.