NORTHRIDGE : 17 Arrested for Unlicensed Contracting at Quake Sites
A weekend inspection of 76 work sites in earthquake-ravaged Northridge resulted in 17 arrests for contracting without a license, state officials said Monday.
Another 14 people were cited for violations of workers’ compensation and other statutes during the unusual weekend enforcement sweep led by investigators from the Contractors State License Board.
The sweep was aimed at preventing unlicensed contractors from victimizing homeowners affected by the Jan. 17 tremor, said board spokesman Sam Haynes.
Insurance companies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are providing more than $3 billion to property owners in the quake zone to repair damage to homes and other property.
Since the quake, board investigators have used stings, sweeps and other enforcement actions to arrest more than 800 unlicensed contractors operating illegally in the hardest-hit areas.
“Hundreds, if not thousands, of unlicensed contractors have flocked to the earthquake area for the specific purpose of swindling people eager to repair their homes as quickly as possible,” said license board chief Gail Jesswein.
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