Guilty plea from contractor who bilked elderly

Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said that an unlicensed East Rockaway contractor pleaded guilty today after being charged with stealing nearly $200,000 from multiple clients, many of whom are seniors, who trusted the contractor’s promises to repair their driveways.

  Robert Cohan, 27, pleaded guilty today to three counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, one count of Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, and one count of Tax Fraud in the Fifth Degree.

  As a result of today’s plea, Cohan is facing a maximum of one-and-a-thrird to four years in prison, a civil judgment of $316,000 in favor of his seven victims and a civil judgment for unpaid taxes in an amount to be determined. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Tammy Robbins on March 18.

  “Today’s plea brings justice for the seniors and other victims this defendant thought would be easy marks, but who instead fought back to reclaim their hard-earned money,” DA Rice said. “Thanks to the tenacity of his victims and our cooperation with police and state officials, Robert Cohan will finally be held accountable for his scams.”

  Rice said that in July 2012, Cohan approached a 73-year-old woman living on Brower Avenue in Woodmere, informed her that he owned a driveway company, and offered to repair her damaged driveway for $78,600. He said he would need the cash up front, but that he would be able to get the victim a rebate from New York State for $88,600, netting her a brand new driveway and a $10,000 profit.

  The victim agreed, and also agreed to pay Cohan $1,500 to paint her deck and repair cracks in her home’s foundation. Cohan promised to pay her the rebate funds by September 7, 2012. There was no written contract, only a handwritten receipt from Cohan that the victim would receive the rebate. Between July and September 2012, the victim gave Cohan 43 checks totaling $67,490 and $10,400 in cash.