Hanzel Ka Hoag, the 52-year-old owner of Rooftop Construction, was arrested in Evansville on Friday morning and charged with felony fraud. Hoag’s arrest follows an investigation by the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office after a homeowner filed a complaint about subpar repairs completed by his company.
The victim had hired Rooftop Construction to repair her home after a large tree damaged it during a tornado. However, she soon became concerned when the work did not match the agreed-upon contract. According to the homeowner, only parts of the roof were replaced, outdated insulation was used in places where new insulation was needed, and new siding was installed improperly.
The homeowner paid over $26,000 for the repairs but was later asked for more money to continue the work. When she raised concerns about the quality of the repairs, the contractors stopped working on the project altogether, refused to refund any payments, and ignored her calls.
An investigation revealed that the work was not up to code, lacked proper permits, and failed inspections. The sheriff’s office interviewed both Hoag and his business partner, John Michael Shamo. The contractors claimed that they were unaware of any compliance issues and insisted the work was satisfactory.
The victim is now seeking additional estimates to fix both the original tornado damage and the faulty repairs done by Rooftop Construction, with the cost of the new repairs expected to exceed $75,000.
Sheriff Noah Robinson commented on the situation, saying, “Mr. Shamo and Mr. Hoag took advantage of homeowners during a time of great need, exploiting their urgency for repairs and assistance.” Hoag has been taken into custody at the Vanderburgh County Jail on a $1,000 bond, while Shamo remains a fugitive with an active arrest warrant.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to hold the two contractors accountable for their actions.
