Upstate NY Couple Ripped Off Homeowners for $1.5M

NEW YORK – John McClure, 44, and Sarah Chambers, 38, of Granville, New York, are facing serious charges after allegedly fleecing more than a dozen homeowners out of over $1.5 million in a brazen contractor fraud scheme. New York Attorney General Letitia James and State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the couple’s arrest and arraignment today, revealing a pattern of deceit that left families financially devastated and homes in disrepair.

The 12-count indictment, unsealed in Washington County Court before Judge Kelly S. McKeighan, accuses McClure and Chambers of fraudulently obtaining over $1.2 million in home improvement payments. A second, four-count indictment in Warren County Court before the Honorable Robert A. Smith, alleges McClure stole an additional $300,000 from four more victims. The scheme spanned from September 2019 to August 2023, preying on homeowners seeking legitimate construction and renovation services.

“When hardworking New Yorkers pay for a service, they expect that service to be carried out,” Attorney General James stated bluntly. “John McClure and Sarah Chambers are charged with agreeing to perform home improvement services for their clients but instead pocketing the money to visit casinos, purchase vehicles, and cover other projects to further their scheme. I thank the State Police for their assistance in putting a stop to this scam and ensuring all those who violate the law are held accountable.”

The couple allegedly advertised McClure’s services under a rotating series of business names – McClure and Son Constructions, McClure and Sons Construction, JM Escavation (sic) and Demolition Services, and JM & Son Excavation and Demolition – on platforms like Facebook, Google, Angie’s List, and Porch.com. They offered everything from full home builds to garage construction, luring in victims with promises of quality workmanship. But according to investigators, those promises were empty. McClure allegedly demanded hefty upfront deposits, then either failed to perform the work entirely, delivered substandard results requiring complete rebuilds by other contractors, or simply vanished with the money.

The indictment details a callous disregard for victims. In one particularly egregious case, McClure allegedly claimed his bank account had been “hacked” after accepting a large deposit, a blatant lie used to cover the fact that he’d already spent the funds on personal expenses. He also allegedly strong-armed homeowners into paying for unnecessary “additional” work – like fabricated mold remediation or roof replacements – further draining their bank accounts. “This couple willfully misrepresented themselves in order to cheat homeowners out of their hard-earned money,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “They had absolutely no regard for the well-being of their victims, inexcusably leaving one without a home. I thank the Attorney General’s office for their invaluable partnership in bringing a measure of justice to those affected by this scam.”

Chambers allegedly played a key role in the deception, acting as a false reference for McClure and Sons Construction, bolstering the company’s credibility to unsuspecting homeowners. The joint investigation by the Attorney General’s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau and the New York State Police paints a picture of a calculated and predatory scheme. McClure and Chambers now face the consequences, with the full weight of the law coming down on them for exploiting the trust of their victims and lining their pockets with stolen money.