CSLB Cites Sixteen Workers for Illegal Contracting in Los Angeles County

    To avoid financial risks, property owners should always "Check a License" or use CSLB's "Find My Licensed Contractor" tools

    SACRAMENTO – On January 16-17, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) went undercover in the Sunland area to catch and cite alleged unlicensed contractors for placing illegally high bids on home improvement work.

    CSLB's Statewide Investigative Fraud Team (SWIFT) partnered with the Los Angeles City Attorney's office and the Los Angeles Police Department and went undercover posing as the property owner of a four-unit apartment building near the Angles National Golf Club.

    Investigators contacted suspected unlicensed contractors based on their online and business card advertisements. Sixteen suspects came to the building at scheduled times to bid on general building services, fencing, painting, pouring concrete, flooring, landscaping, and tree maintenance.

    Of the group, one person gave a high bid of $14,000 for tree removal, stump grinding, and pouring concrete; the lowest bid was just over $1,300 to install new flooring in the units. All suspects were found to be violating state contracting law by placing bids well over the legal threshold for contracting without a license.

    In California, it's illegal for an unlicensed person to perform any contracting work on a project valued at $500 or more in combined labor and material costs. As a result, the suspects could now face a misdemeanor charge of contracting without a license (Business and Professions Code (BPC) §7028(b)). First-conviction penalties include up to six months in jail and/or up to $5,000 in fines.

    "There's no telling if someone who is unlicensed has the skills, insurance, or trade knowledge to do the work and to do it right," said David Fogt, CSLB Registrar. "By using CSLB's free online tools like Find My Licensed Contractor or Check a License, homeowners can find a licensed contractor in their area and avoid the headache of hiring someone who could potentially take advantage of them."

    The sixteen suspects could face an additional misdemeanor charge for illegal advertising. Licensed contractors must display their license number in all advertisements and unlicensed contractors must state in all ads that they do not have a license (BPC §7027.1). The penalty for violating the advertising rules for unlicensed contractors is a fine of $700 to $1,000.

    All suspects were ordered to appear in court at the Clara Shortridge Folz Criminal Center, 210 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

    NOTE: All suspects are presumed innocent until their case is resolved.

    SUNLAND DAY 1 – JANUARY 16, 2019
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Roman Khudagulyan
    Glendale    		 B-General Building Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Tiburso Corona
    Los Angeles    		 B-General Building Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Noe Ramirez
    Arleta    		 C-8 Concrete Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Adelaido Ladislao Rodriguez
    Pacoima    		 C-8 Concrete Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Nestor Arnoldo Lopez-Camey
    Westlake Village    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Alejandro C. Morales
    Pacoima    		 C-27 Landscaping Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    David Young
    Los Angeles    		 C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Vick Iskandari
    Northridge    		 C-15 Flooring and Floor Covering Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Carles Lara
    North Hills    		 D-49 Tree Services Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Victor Apolino Ambrocio-Yac
    Los Angeles    		 C-8 Concrete Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising

    SUNLAND DAY 2 – JANUARY 17, 2019
    SUSPECT NAME
    CITY OF RESIDENCE    		 LICENSE CLASSIFICATION ALLEGED VIOLATION
    Sevada Harounian
    Sunland    		 B-General Building Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Hector Malmore Solano-Garcia
    North Hollywood    		 C-13 Fencing Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Oscar Rodolfo Hernandez
    Van Nuys    		 B-General Building Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Yizhaq Rahamin
    Granada Hills    		 B-General Building Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Dimas Cruz Saldinas
    North Hollywood    		 C-13 Fencing Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising
    Carlos Gomez Diaz
    Reseda    		 C-33 Painting and Decorating Contractor Contracting Without a License,
    Illegal Advertising

    The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. CSLB licenses and regulates almost 290,000 contractors in California and is regarded as one of the leading consumer protection agencies in the United States. In fiscal year 2017-18, CSLB helped recover over $50 million in ordered restitution for consumers.

    Please note that updates have been made to this release to reflect that sixteen suspects were cited, not seventeen. Please contact CSLB’s Public Affairs Office with any questions.


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