DYER, IN – An Indiana contractor has been charged with felony counts of home improvement fraud and theft in Lake County, after multiple property owners accused him of leaving dangerous, unfinished work in their yards.
Michael Nanay, a 63-year-old swimming pool contractor from Schererville, has been accused of engaging in a alleged string of fraudulent activities through his company, MAD Pools, from October 2019 to January 2023.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr., launched an investigation after at least five property owners in Dyer, Crown Point, and Schererville reported Nanay and his company for home improvement fraud and theft.
According to Sheriff Martinez, the victims alleged that Nanay hired workers who lacked proper skills and failed to complete promised repairs, leaving them in a worse state than before.
“This kind of home improvement scam is unthinkable. It targets people who take pride in their property and want a job done right,” said Sheriff Martinez. “We believe there may be more victims of this company who haven’t come forward yet.”
Nanay was been booked into the Lake County Jail and has since been released on bond.
Property owners who have had home improvement work done by MAD Pools, Michaelangelo Pool Design, and/or Michael A. Nanay and suspect they have been scammed are urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Detective Bureau at (219) 755-3406.
With the severity of the allegations against Nanay, residents in Lake County are urged to exercise caution when hiring contractors for home improvement projects and thoroughly vet any company or individual before proceeding with any work.
