Contractor who scammed Sandy victims ‘truly sorry,’ avoids jail

A Smithtown-based contractor avoided jail time at his sentencing Tuesday after admitting to scamming Superstorm Sandy victims out of more than $100,000.
Lee Moser admitted he defrauded multiple homeowners whose houses were destroyed in the storm. Prosecutors said he took hundreds of thousands of dollars and either did little or no work to restore their homes.
Moser was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $62,000 in restitution to the state. He told the Riverhead courtroom that he was “truly sorry for my actions.”
“I think more should have been done,” said David Ramroop, of Amityville. Ramroop says he paid Moser $140,000 to raise his home. He said Moser elevated the home on temporary supports, and never finished the work. The repairs were finished by another contractor.
“I think the sentence is really light considering in light of how many people he defrauded,” said Ramroop.
Moser has paid half of the restitution – about $31,000. Judge Timothy Mazzei warned him to pay the rest or else.
“If you do not pay that second amount of restitution during your probationary period, I'm going to send you to jail,” said Judge Mazzei.
Moser said that he fully understood.
Moser has also pleaded guilty to similar grand larceny charges in a separate case in Nassau County court and could face 45 days in jail. He is expected to be sentenced in September.