In a petition for contempt, Office of Attorney General requests that Vincent Vince be incarcerated until he pays harmed consumers
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday announced action against a Luzerne County-based home-improvement contractor who continues to work in Pennsylvania, despite a standing court order prohibiting him from doing so.
The Office of Attorney General initially filed suit against Vincent Vince (and his company, Independent Construction Builders, LLC) last year regarding repeated failures to complete contracted work. A court order resulted in December, requiring Vince to pay restitution to victims and prohibiting him from continuing to take on home-improvement contracts.
This week, the Office of Attorney filed a petition for contempt, alleging that Vince has not paid the restitution, and has “willfully and brazenly” violated the previous court order by continuing to operate as a contractor, accepting deposits, and soliciting new customers.
“The Court previously found that this contractor’s conduct has harmed Pennsylvanians, and we have not forgotten about those previous victims and the order prohibiting him from continuing to work in the Commonwealth,” Attorney General Sunday said. “We are seeking appropriately stern action from the court, including incarceration, as we feel that is the only way we can assure victims will be made whole and other consumers are protected.”
The contempt petition, a petition alleging that a defendant has not followed a previous court order, was filed in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas. The contempt petition alleges that Vince is violating the Court’s December 31, 2024, order and a May 16, 2025, Supplemental Opinion/Order, which permanently prohibits Vince and his company from holding a home improvement contractor registration, entering into home improvement contracts, or conducting any home improvement business in Pennsylvania.
The petition further alleges that Vince continues to accept large deposits for home improvement work, enters into multiple new contracts with unsuspecting consumers, and in at least one case, failed to complete the contracted work or refund the customer.
The Commonwealth is asking the Court to:
- Hold Vincent Vince and his company in civil contempt for violating the Court’s orders;
- Order immediate payment of $91,189 that Vince was previously ordered to pay under the December 31, 2024 Court Order;
- Impose an additional $35,000 in penalties, restitution, and costs, consisting of:
- $9,000 in restitution for new consumer victims identified during the investigation;
- $25,000 in civil penalties for violating the Court’s orders;
- $1,000 in investigation costs;
- Enforce the December 31, 2024 Court Order prohibiting Vince from working in any capacity related to home improvement services or registering as a home improvement contractor with the Office of Attorney General; and
- Incarcerate Vincent Vince until he complies with the Court’s prior order and pays the outstanding $91,189.
According to the contempt petition, the Office of Attorney General identified at least five new instances in which Vince offered or performed home improvement work after the injunction was issued. Investigators also found that Vince continues to operate a business website, use the same business phone number and email address, and use Independent Construction branding to advertise services and enter into new contracts – all in violation of the Court’s permanent injunction preventing Vince from working as a home contractor in Pennsylvania.
The contempt filing follows the Court’s ruling in December 2024, which ordered Independent Construction Builders and Vincent Vince to pay $79,189 in restitution to consumers, $12,000 in civil penalties, and permanently barred Vince and his business from working in the home improvement industry in Pennsylvania.
The Office of Attorney General is urging any consumer who entered into a home improvement contract with Vincent Vince, Independent Construction Builders, or any related business after December 31, 2024 to contact the office by filing a complaint online. Consumers who paid deposits, signed contracts, or received solicitations from these businesses may have important information relevant to the ongoing enforcement efforts.
Deputy Attorney General Matthias Conaty and Senior Deputy Attorney General James Wise litigated the underlying civil case against Vince and Independent Construction Builders. The contempt petition was filed by Deputy Attorney General Matthias Conaty.
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