A FAMILY of five was forced to live in their trailer after a corrupt contractor took $90,000 for a job – and then gutted their home.
The man has faced multiple allegations of scamming homeowners out of hundreds of thousands and not finishing the job.

A family of five was forced to live in their trailer after a corrupt contractor took $90,000 for a job – and then gutted their home[/caption]
The contractor left with nothing more than markings on the floor in red spray paint for where things would go[/caption]
The family are now forced to spend at least two more months in a trailer while the house is fixed[/caption]
Deanna Salentino in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York fell victim to Robert Cortese, a sick scammer who promised contracting work.
In return, he left Salentino with nothing more than markings on the floor in red spray paint for where things would go.
Exposed electrical wiring was also left behind for the family of five, which includes a baby.
Salentino spoke to Eyewitness News: “They did say that it ism grand larceny, what degree not sure, but it is a felony, it’s a serious charge.”
She and her family are now forced to spend at least two more months in a trailer while the house is fixed.
She said in reference to Cortese: “I hope he’s enjoying his summer, I hope he’s enjoying it because we’re not.”
Cortese has done this before, four years ago when he said he would build a pool for a homeowner in the Great River area.
The pool was never finished, and Cortese left a pile of rubble and dirt behind.
BEHIND BARS
Cortese has now been charged with felony fraud as a result of the Salentino incident, and could be charged for the pool.
It is said that Cortese operated as a contractor without a licence and used false permits.
For this charge, he could receive anywhere from probation to seven years in prison.
The disgraced contractor was seen hiding from news cameras in court.
It is important to note that he did not have a criminal record before this.
This fact could influence his ultimate sentence, and if he serves any prison time.
Expert Advice: How to protect yourself from fraud
Craig Costigan, the CEO of fraud experts NICE Actimize gave the following tips to readers of The U.S. Sun on how to stay safe from fraudsters.
- As the saying goes, trust but verify. Always question your text and email communications. It may not be from who you think it is. Look for giveaways that it is a scam email. If your bank contacts you about a fraud via a text or email, call the number on the back of your credit or debit card to contact the fraud department directly – much safer than giving data to an impersonator.
- Protect your personal identifying information such as social security cards, your blank checks and other IDs.
- Always be vigilant. Even the safest and most careful among us have encountered fraudsters – we survived
because we reported the activity immediately to our providers, changed our passwords and checked our credit reports for unusual activity. - If you are not applying for credit, you might also consider placing a freeze on your credit reports, such as Experian, TransUnion and Equifax, so fraudsters can’t open accounts in your name. You can easily unfreeze your credit when you want to open a new account.
His name now sits on the Suffolk County Consumer Affairs Wall of Shame.
This list includes others who have been convicted of similar charges.
Marc Gain, Cortese’s Defence Attorney, said: “Why this is an issue now is hard to understand except that the civil litigation seems to be heating up.
“People can make all kinds of allegations, contractors and contracting situations often go bad for both parties.”
The alleged victim of the pool incident released a statement urging other potential victims to come forward.
They said: “I am hopeful that the investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office will continue, that additional victims will feel empowered to come forward.”

Deanna Salentino in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York fell victim to the scam[/caption]
Robert Cortese (left) being led out by his Defence Attorney Marc Gain (right)[/caption]