Evansville Man Faces Felony Charges After Alleged Construction Scam
An Evansville contractor is facing a long list of charges after a local woman claims she paid over $150,000 for a home addition meant for her sick mother, only to be left with unfinished, unsafe construction and thousands more in unexpected liens.
Woman Pays Over $150K for Home Addition Gone Wrong
According to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, 41-year-old Eric Nicholas Morgan was arrested following a months-long investigation into multiple allegations of home improvement fraud and theft while operating as Eric Morgan DBA Rugged Construction.
What Investigators Discovered About Rugged Construction
Morgan was allegedly hired in October 2023 to build a room addition to be used to care for the victim's ailing mother. She put down a $25,000 deposit and agreed to a plan for the project. After months-long delays, Morgan finally began work on February 1, 2024. As time went on, she paid a staggering $152,619.72. However, all she has to show for her money spent is Morgan's incomplete, substandard work that wasn’t even up to code.
Unfortunately, things got worse. The homeowner learned that the kitchen cabinets she paid for were never ordered, and an HVAC company was never paid by Morgan for services rendered to the property. His failure to pay the HVAC company resulted in an $8,890 mechanic’s lien being placed on the victim's property.
Property Left Unfinished and Unsafe
As it turns out, Morgan isn’t licensed, bonded, or insured, according to the sheriff's department. He never pulled a permit or arranged for a single inspection through the Vanderburgh County Building Commission. The investigation into Morgan's business dealings in the case also uncovered that a building permit was filed under someone else’s name, and that person told authorities they had no idea their identity had been used.
Because Rugged Construction is not properly licensed or bonded, the construction contract itself didn’t even meet basic legal standards under Indiana law to enter into a binding contract or receive payment for construction services.
READ MORE: Hoosiers Living Paycheck to Paycheck Hit Hard by New Law
Authorities Working to Fix the Damage
Vanderburgh County officials are now working with the homeowner to get the property up to code, secure the proper permits, and undo the damage. It's an effort that they say will require “significant time, effort, and expense.”
Contractor’s Criminal History and New Charges
Morgan was arrested at his home without incident by deputies and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. He’s currently being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail on a $5,000 bond, pending his court appearance. According to the VCSO, this is not Morgan's first run-in with the law.
Morgan is already out on bond for a separate home improvement fraud case, also under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office. Authorities believe other agencies are investigating him for similar scams. And back in 2017, Morgan was convicted in federal court of Securities Fraud, tied to an investment scheme that cost victims around $650,000.
As a result of the current investigation, Eric Morgan is facing the following charges:
Theft – Level 5 Felony (1 count)
Fraud – Level 5 Felony (1 count)
Theft – Level 6 Felony (5 counts)
Fraud – Level 6 Felony (5 counts)
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff's Office reminds the public that "All charges are accusations at this time. Eric Morgan is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."