Contractors who fleeced homeowners out of thousands of dollars, not completing work, doing substandard construction or in some cases, never starting the jobs.
Travel gurus who swindled consumers, stealing their money instead of delivering promised discount trips to far-away lands.
The founder of an opioid company who allegedly paid kickbacks and bribes to doctors to boost sales of its drugs.
New Jersey is owed nearly $104 million in unpaid fines, restitution and fees from successful prosecutions of consumer fraud cases and settlements by the Division of Consumer Affairs.
Over nearly 10 years, from 2012 through the end of July 2021, Consumer Affairs won or was awarded more than $260 million across more than 2,300 cases.
The defendants paid more than $156 million on the debts, leaving nearly $104 million, or some 40%, uncollected.
The 10 biggest debtors collectively owe nearly three-quarters of that amount, or more than $75.7 million.
Of the top 10, eight are home improvement contractors.
NJ Advance Media requested Consumer Affairs supply the records so we could see how much the state has been unable to collect on court orders and settlement agreements.
We reached out for comment to everyone on this list, but received no responses. In some cases, the numbers for companies and individuals were out of service.
Here’s who owes the most money, and how much, to the taxpayers of New Jersey.
No. 10: Daruwe Corp./ Majestic Home Remodeling
Owes: $3,250,670.75
The Marlton-based home improvement…
