We have learned of several other victims of crooked contractor Shawn Gerety and BuildTREND Construction. Since starting this blog, we have heard directly from victims across multiple Pennsylvania counties and the state of Delaware.
The stories sound similar - BuildTREND collects significant early payment while promising prompt work, months of delays, similar excuses, requests for change orders and ultimately failure to actually start or satisfactorily complete work. Two victims say they have damages of around $100,000 due to BuildTREND's theft and deceptions, while others say they are out in the range of $5,000 to $45,000 before significant hassle, anxiety and life disruption.
To reach the PA Attorney General with information about BuildTREND email to HIC@attorneygeneral.gov or call 1-888-520-6680.
Here is the link to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General:
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/Consumers/Home_Improvement_Consumer_Information/
Friday, July 24, 2015
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Contractors Linked to BuildTREND & Shawn Gerety
We have heard from a number of BuildTREND's suppliers and subcontractors since starting this blog. His victims are not just customers from whom he has collected deposits and progress payments but also plumbers, electricians, carpenters, cabinet-makers, flooring suppliers, and other trades who may have legitimate businesses that have been injured when BuildTREND has failed to pay on time for their work.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Too busy for contracted projects
But BuildTrend owner Shawn Gerety has time and money to travel to London:
London has called... I listened...
— Shawn T. Gerety (@ShawnGerety) December 17, 2014
Shawn is so extremely busy he can't focus on projects he was paid for months ago:
Keep moving... Keep doing... Keep living... The moment we stop, we are dead...
— Shawn T. Gerety (@ShawnGerety) May 31, 2015
Vince Cottrell - BuildTREND Vice President
Cottrell has apparently moved on from a public affiliation with BuildTREND. He now represents himself as Managing Partner of Trend Consulting Group (TCG). That name sounds similar to BuildTREND doesn't it?
Vince is still in the construction business and seeking to hire "skilled Project Managers who poses the necessary background, experience, and expertise required to manage large commercial construction projects and/or multiple mid-size construction projects simultaniousley."
(Note: spelling and grammar carried forward from the source job posting)
Vince is still in the construction business and seeking to hire "skilled Project Managers who poses the necessary background, experience, and expertise required to manage large commercial construction projects and/or multiple mid-size construction projects simultaniousley."
(Note: spelling and grammar carried forward from the source job posting)
Criminal Theft by Deception
BuildTREND Vice President Vincent E. Cottrell has a criminal record.
Vince was booked for "Theft by Deception" and other charges in New Jersey and incarcerated from August 2010 to March 2011. In March 2011, he was then arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with "Theft by Deception" yet again.
See NJ mugshots of Cottrell in orange jumpsuits here:
http://www.bustedmugshots.com/new-jersey/camden/vincent-e-cottrell/47696651
http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/New-Jersey/Camden-County-NJ/Vincent-E-Cottrell.8077319.html
Vince was booked for "Theft by Deception" and other charges in New Jersey and incarcerated from August 2010 to March 2011. In March 2011, he was then arrested in Pennsylvania and charged with "Theft by Deception" yet again.
http://www.bustedmugshots.com/new-jersey/camden/vincent-e-cottrell/47696651
http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/New-Jersey/Camden-County-NJ/Vincent-E-Cottrell.8077319.html
Arrest Information:
Name: Vincent E Cottrell
Location: Camden, New Jersey
Age: 33 years
Processing Date: 02-03-2010
Booking Charges:
2C:20-4 THEFT BY DECEPTION
2C:20-2B THEFT
2C:45-3 VIOLATION OF PROBATION OR SUSPENDED SENTENCE
2C:21-5B(2) BAD CHECK
Race: White
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Height: 5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
Birth date: 3/30/1976
SBI Number: 000834031C
Admission Date: 8/20/2010
Current Facility: Paroled from CRAF
Current Max Release Date: 10/27/2012
Current Parole Eligibility Date: N/A
Sentence Information:
| Offense | Offense Date | Sentence Date | County of Commitment | Commitment Order | Mandatory Minimum Term | Maximum Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 count of : 2C:21-5*4 Bad Checks:No Account(>$200 - < $1000)/4 | November 14, 2009 | August 20, 2010 | Camden | 10-04-00401-I | None | 12 Months |
| 1 count of : 2C:20-4*3 Theft by Deception /3 | March 25, 2008 | August 20, 2010 | Camden | CAM090200690I | None | 3 Years 6 Months |
| 1 count of : 2C:35-10*3 CDS/Poss,Use or Being Under Influence /3 | December 12, 2006 | August 20, 2010 | Camden | CAM070200521A | None | 3 Years |
Incarceration History:
| Date In Custody | Date Out of Custody |
|---|---|
| August 20, 2010 | March 10, 2011 |
Aliases:
- Cottrell, Thomas
- Daddino, Thomas
2010 Bankruptcy of BuildTREND principal
Shawn T. Gerety and his then wife with the same last name (now ex wife) filed for Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy in Pennsylvania Eastern Bankruptcy Court and received a discharge of all debts in May 2010.
http://www.plainsite.org/dockets/judpquy1/pennsylvania-eastern-bankruptcy-court//
BuildTREND's contractor license in Pennsylvania may have been fraudulently obtained as Mr. Gerety failed to disclose the bankruptcy when registering as a home improvement contractor.
Pennsylvania's Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (HICPA) requires disclosure of bankruptcies within the prior 10 years. See HICPA 73 P.S., Section 517.4 Procedures for registration as a contractor (a) (1) (vii)
BuildTREND has also not disclosed that corporate Vice President Vincent Cottrell has a criminal record for "theft" and "theft by deception" in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, which appears to be an independent HICPA violation.
9/22/2015 update:
In addition to their 2010 bankruptcy together, Ms. Gerety had also filed for another Chapter 7 discharge of personal debts in July 2000.
We are hearing from sub-contractors that Gerety's wife has had a role in managing finances and accounting for BuildTrend and other businesses.
9/27/2015 update:
Ms. Gerety contacted this blog to deny all involvement with BuildTrend and post comments. She subsequently claims comments were posted without her permission. All comments from her are now removed and references above are all to documents in the public domain already.
Lawsuit reveals BuildTREND's debts & contracts with Cottrell
Shawn T. Gerety and BuildTREND are defendants in a civil action filed in Delaware County PA in January 2015 by former BuildTREND Vice President Vincent Cottrell.
The complaint accuses BuildTREND of fraud, claims "BuildTREND owed subcontractors in excess of $600,000" and includes Cottrell's employment contract with BuildTREND.
The contracts between Shawn Gerety / BuildTREND and Cottrell's entities acknowledge that Cottrell is an "Acting Vice President" of BuildTREND and describe a plan for Cottrell to receive compensation of a regular draw and commissions based on collections of "newly sold contracts, change orders, referrals and additional work" with payments due to Cottrell "by the end of business each Friday following actual date of contract and or change order signing and deposits paid by clients to BuildTREND."
The performance incentives that Gerety created for Cottrell with this contract were to maximize sales, change orders and collections or payments from customers, rather than performance of project work.
Read the full complaint here:
http://roam.co.delaware.pa.us/delco/search.do?indexName=delcoimages&lq=EventEntryID%3A7282492
Defendant Plantiff
The complaint accuses BuildTREND of fraud, claims "BuildTREND owed subcontractors in excess of $600,000" and includes Cottrell's employment contract with BuildTREND.
The contracts between Shawn Gerety / BuildTREND and Cottrell's entities acknowledge that Cottrell is an "Acting Vice President" of BuildTREND and describe a plan for Cottrell to receive compensation of a regular draw and commissions based on collections of "newly sold contracts, change orders, referrals and additional work" with payments due to Cottrell "by the end of business each Friday following actual date of contract and or change order signing and deposits paid by clients to BuildTREND."
The performance incentives that Gerety created for Cottrell with this contract were to maximize sales, change orders and collections or payments from customers, rather than performance of project work.
Read the full complaint here:
http://roam.co.delaware.pa.us/delco/search.do?indexName=delcoimages&lq=EventEntryID%3A7282492
Defendant Plantiff
BuildTREND Construction LLC
BuildTREND is a registered contractor in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware under license numbers: PA073348, NJ1613239 and DE2011600708
www.buildtrend.com is a slick site. Do any of the images represent actual BuildTREND projects?
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