Boss Construction Lawsuit Filed

[ONaMission]

I know some of you on here had issues with them. Hope this helps!
Madigan lawsuits target Frankfort, New Lenox contractors
Recommend (3) Comments
April 17, 2009
by mike nolan, staff writer
Months after handeding $24,500 to Boss Construction to install new windows in their Frankfort home, no work had been done and owner Steven Smith wouldn't refund their money.
"Get in line," he told the couple, indicating Smith owed lots of people money, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office.
On Thursday, Madigan sued New Lenox-based Boss and several other Chicago-area home improvement firms, including 123 General Construction in Frankfort, alleging they defrauded consumers. In some instances, customers forked over thousands of dollars, but no work was done, or contractors did a slipshod job, according to Madigan's office.
Bradley said he and his wife obtained a home equity line of credit to pay the deposit to Boss last June, but the company used a variety of excuses - including claiming Frankfort was dragging its feet issuing a permit - for not starting work. An investigation by Frankfort police showed Boss never applied for a building permit, and the company's business license had expired.
Therese Berglund said she and her husband paid about $30,000 to 123 General Construction to renovate their 120-year-old home in Lockport. The company didn't finish and abandoned the job about three months after starting work in September 2006, she said.
What work was done didn't pass inspection, and the couple wound up having to hire a second builder, paying another $30,000, to redo the work, Berglund said.
"We had to pay twice to get the job done," she said.
Phone numbers listed for Boss and 123 General were not in service.
Madigan also filed a suit against John M. Burow, doing business as John's Home Repair in Willow Springs.
In addition to fines, Madigan is seeking to have Smith, Boss' owner, and 123 General's principals, Shane Rasmussen and Paul Haley, barred from having any involvement in home repair or remodeling in the state.
Mike Nolan can be reached at

[ONaMission]

Mike Nolan mailto: [e-mail]

The link above is to the staff writer that published the story on the filing of Civil Charges against Steven R. Smith or Orland Park and the Boss entities he headed.
Steve Smith has been convicted of nothing and is innocent until proven guilty.
Civil charges have been filed by the Illinois Attorney General Office. They will go after the corporate and personal assets of their target and attempt to ban him from the remodeling industry in IL.
The downside is pretty much limited to the assets they can identify. If there are no assets to be attached nobody get paid. In that case retribution is the only solace.
For Homeowners the Home Repair Fraud Act does specify criminal sanctions of up to a class 3 felony and class 2 if the victim is a senior citizen.
An importance difference between civil and criminal would be intent.
To the extent that sub contractors were not paid and homeowners lost deposits or incurred liens due to bad business decisions or bad business climate an alleged fraud can keep the process in civil court.
If there is a strong repeated pattern (with subcontractors and customers) over an extended period of time it is much more difficult for that person to claim misfortune and business setbacks.
Critical Mass
Most of the individual complains relate to relatively small amounts and if presented individually to the States Attorney at the county level the default response is to deem matters for civil courts to reolve.
If individual subcontractors and homeowners were to send their complaint to one central person the aggregate amount and volume might be more interesting.
Homeowners and Subs should e-mail their complaints to Mike Nolan above.
If you know of other subs or homeowners even from years ago let them know. If a similar pattern over multiple years can be established that would be strong evidence for criminal action. A criminal case would be much more difficult to ignore or default on.
Keep things business like and avoid too much emotion. Include the Subject: Steven Smith-Boss and provide the following:
Are you Homeowner or Subcontractor
Your contact information – you need to be on the record
Date of the Transaction or Dates if there were multiple transactions
What was to be done and the price.
The timeframe for performance or payment including verbal representation if not specified in the contract
Brief summary of what happened – omit character assessments of Mr. Smith

[John Brown]

Subcontractors and customers are coming out of the woodwork. They smell blood. A criminal case will not be far behind.

I have sent my stuff to Nolan and am telling everybody I can.

Thanks Mission and good luck

[IKnowSteve]

These lies are all over the place. Can not belive in his own home town.

I know Steven R Smith the man and his character. I know his contribution to Orland Park Youth Hockey and to others

Steven Smith of Boss Constuction of Orland Park and New Lenox is not thief or fraud. He is not a criminal. No criminal charges have been filed only civil fraud charges.

Amy Madigan is a publicity seek lesbo

[Pete]

IKnowSteve wrote:

These lies are all over the place. Can not belive in his own home town.
I know Steven R Smith the man and his character. I know his contribution to Orland Park Youth Hockey and to others
Steven Smith of Boss Constuction of Orland Park and New Lenox is not thief or fraud. He is not a criminal. No criminal charges have been filed only civil fraud charges.
Amy Madigan is a publicity seek lesbo

I have talk to Steve myself and one who knows him. He is a big shot wannabe.

[bob]

IKnowSteve wrote:

These lies are all over the place. Can not belive in his own home town.
I know Steven R Smith the man and his character. I know his contribution to Orland Park Youth Hockey and to others
Steven Smith of Boss Constuction of Orland Park and New Lenox is not thief or fraud. He is not a criminal. No criminal charges have been filed only civil fraud charges.
Amy Madigan is a publicity seek lesbo

If he is not a thief or a fraud, then why does he lie to the Chicago BBB? Why does he not honor warranties on his jobs? Why does he walk away from jobs he starts? Why does he employ friends of his as subs when they dont have a clue?

[Pete]

IKnowSteve wrote:

These lies are all over the place. Can not belive in his own home town.
I know Steven R Smith the man and his character. I know his contribution to Orland Park Youth Hockey and to others
Steven Smith of Boss Constuction of Orland Park and New Lenox is not thief or fraud. He is not a criminal. No criminal charges have been filed only civil fraud charges.
Amy Madigan is a publicity seek lesbo

Orland Park Hockey? I wonder if thats where the homeowners money went. Thanks for the tip.

[IKnowSteve]

Just talk to any of the subs that have done business with him. They will tell you about the real Steven Smith.

I bet you bill could name dozens of subs that would refrence his character.

We need more people who know the real steve to step up and testfiy. Come on people lets not let a couple crybabies hurt this mans image.

[OnaMission]

IKnowSteve wrote:

Just talk to any of the subs that have done business with him. They will tell you about the real Steven Smith.
I bet you bill could name dozens of subs that would refrence his character.
We need more people who know the real steve to step up and testfiy. Come on people lets not let a couple crybabies hurt this mans image.

Yea bill

You did that tribute to steve on the manhattan forum.

You must know a lot of people that have done business with him, have not themselves been delisted by BBB and will vouch for him.

Where are they???

[boss]

Hmmmmm. I see ALL his friends are just jumping on trying to defend him...
He is a thief and is going to jail where he belongs...hell, he should have been there years ago when he stopped paying child support!

He is a poor excuse for a man. He steals from his own family

[Pete]

IKnowSteve wrote:

Just talk to any of the subs that have done business with him. They will tell you about the real Steven Smith.
I bet you bill could name dozens of subs that would refrence his character.
We need more people who know the real steve to step up and testfiy. Come on people lets not let a couple crybabies hurt this mans image.

I know at least one sub who does not like Steve as i believe Steve owes him money. He said that he would never do another job for Boss.

[John Brown]

Pete wrote:

<quoted text> I know at least one sub who does not like Steve as i believe Steve owes him money. He said that he would never do another job for Boss.

The question is not how may subs would not support but if there are in fact any that do.

[friends of steve]

boss wrote:

Hmmmmm. I see ALL his friends are just jumping on trying to defend him...
He is a thief and is going to jail where he belongs...hell, he should have been there years ago when he stopped paying child support!
He is a poor excuse for a man. He steals from his own family

You can't think of anything to say so you bring his family up? Shame on you..WEASEL

[Bob]

friends of steve wrote:

<quoted text> You can't think of anything to say so you bring his family up? Shame on you..WEASEL

Steve Smith , i know you are Steve Smith ,When will you honor the warrantee on the job you did for me?

[boss]

I can say LOTS about good old Steve....Oh you don't even know...
Yes I bring up his "family" Well, whats left of them. He is a POOR excuse for a father, husband, friend and son. PERIOD. Funny thing is, EVERYONE knows this...including his family.

[Forward]

boss wrote:

I can say LOTS about good old Steve....Oh you don't even know...
Yes I bring up his "family" Well, whats left of them. He is a POOR excuse for a father, husband, friend and son. PERIOD. Funny thing is, EVERYONE knows this...including his family.

We all know "friends of steve" has his own baggage and is just waiting for that knock on the door.

[cant do sh1t]

Steve owes me money from doing work at his building in New Lenox. I stole a bunch of files and I intend to blackmail him with them. They are good toooooo

[RetributionandRe stitution]

Forward wrote:

<quoted text>
We all know "friends of steve" has his own baggage and is just waiting for that knock on the door.

Are you talking about Tom S, the chubby Boss sales guy who is now in Oak Forest?
Showing that Boss was an ongoing criminal enterprise will bring him down as well

[Phil]

Apparently you only thought you knew Steve. Like many former customers of Boss, I paid in full for work to be done on my house. Steve was paid for a job and never paid the supply house and now I have a Lien on my house as a result of it. He was paid so there is NO EXCUSE as to why he did not pay the supplier for my materials. That is known ans FRAUD. He provided many excuses and promises and lived up to NONE of them (inclsuing coming back to finish making some items that are incorrectly done corect). I'm sorry to hear you have to consider him a friend. The next time I talk to Lisa';s office I will mantion your aspersion as to her sexculality, I think that is lible.

IKnowSteve wrote:

These lies are all over the place. Can not belive in his own home town.
I know Steven R Smith the man and his character. I know his contribution to Orland Park Youth Hockey and to others
Steven Smith of Boss Constuction of Orland Park and New Lenox is not thief or fraud. He is not a criminal. No criminal charges have been filed only civil fraud charges.
Amy Madigan is a publicity seek lesbo

[Bob]

Or "I know Steve". As you know civil is first, then they go after you criminally. Like all the fraud charges. Don't worry you fat, balding, sorry excuse for a man.....You will still make some fresh jail bail!! touch your toes......Or at least your knee caps