Colorado contractor jailed for stealing $1.4 million from homeowners

Homeowners who hire contractors to renovate their properties usually expect some disruption, particularly when work involves tearing down walls, removing fixtures or stripping rooms back to their foundations. But for several Colorado residents, projects that began as home improvements ended with damaged properties, unfinished work and substantial financial losses. As reported by The Office of the Attorney General, contractor Avi Schwalb has now been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of a scheme that took more than $1.4 million from homeowners across the Denver area. The case involved dozens of criminal charges, with prosecutors describing a pattern in which customers paid for renovations that were never properly completed.Contractor abandoned Colorado homes after collecting renovation paymentsThe investigation centred on two affiliated businesses, Schwalb Builders and Avi’s Remodeling and Contracting, which offered general contracting and home renovation services in the Denver area. Between July 2021 and December 2024, Schwalb took on residential projects, receiving money from customers who expected their homes to be renovated according to agreed plans.However, several homeowners were left with little to show for their payments. According to The Office of the Attorney General, projects were frequently abandoned after demolition had begun or after contractors had carried out defective work.