West Hartford Police Charge Bloomfield Man in Alleged Home Improvement Scams That Cost Homeowners $40,500

Published Nov. 11, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

Two West Hartford, Connecticut, households paid a masonry and construction business up front for home improvement work. According to West Hartford police, neither job was ever finished, and the homeowners were out a combined $40,500.

Police say they have now charged the man behind that business. Richard Kiely, 35, of Bloomfield, was arrested on Nov. 5, 2026, on a warrant in connection with two alleged home improvement scams involving Imperial Construction and Masonry, according to West Hartford police as reported by We-Ha, FOX61 and NBC Connecticut [1][2][3].

Important: Kiely is charged, not convicted, and is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

What police allege

According to an email from West Hartford police Lt. Ryan Riley, as reported by We-Ha [1]:

• March 2025: Police opened an investigation after being told of two possible incidents in which homeowners paid money in advance for work Imperial Construction and Masonry was supposed to complete.
• The payments: A total of $40,500 was collected. "In both cases the jobs were never completed."
• The investigation: The case went to the department's Detective Division. After what Riley called a "thorough and extensive investigation," police obtained an arrest warrant for Kiely.

FOX61, citing police, reported that Kiely is accused of "impersonating a home improvement contractor to scam homeowners out of $40,500" [2].

Neither report names the homeowners or describes the specific jobs, and we don't either.

The charges and his status

Richard Kiely, 35, of Bloomfield, Conn. Arrested Nov. 5, 2026. Charged with two counts of second-degree larceny, two counts of impersonating a registered home improvement contractor, and two counts of improper notice in sales agreement, according to police as reported by We-Ha [1]. (FOX61 and NBC Connecticut described the third pair of charges as "notices in sales agreement" [2][3].) He posted a combined $38,000 surety bond and is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 19 in Hartford Superior Court [1][2].

He has not entered a plea in the reports we reviewed and has not been convicted. We found no public statement from Kiely or a lawyer for him. We searched the Town of West Hartford's official police press-releases page (the latest item there is dated Sept. 2, 2026), the department's Facebook page, and the @WestHartfordPD account on X, and did not find the original statement. The details above come from the police statement as reported by the three outlets cited.

Police asked anyone with information about these or similar incidents to call the West Hartford Police tip line at 860-570-8969 [1][2].

Why the "registered contractor" charge matters

Connecticut requires most home improvement contractors to be registered with the state Department of Consumer Protection. The charge of "impersonating a registered home improvement contractor" means police allege Kiely held himself out as registered. The "notice in sales agreement" charges relate to the written-contract rules state law sets for home improvement work, such as the homeowner's right to cancel. Those rules exist so homeowners have a paper trail and a way out before work starts.

Red flags

These are general warning signs of contractor fraud, not claims about any person beyond what police allege.

• Large deposits before any work starts, especially a big share of the total price.
• No written contract, or a contract without start and finish dates, a description of the work, and a notice of your right to cancel.
• A registration number you can't verify, or none at all.
• Excuses and delays once the money is paid: materials "on backorder," crews "tied up," the job "starting next week."
• Pressure to pay in cash or to a personal account rather than a business.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Verify registration before you sign. In Connecticut, look up the contractor on the Department of Consumer Protection's license lookup at elicense.ct.gov. In other states, check your state licensing board or attorney general.
2. Get everything in writing, including a payment schedule tied to completed stages of work.
3. Pay by check or credit card, never cash, and keep receipts.
4. If a contractor takes your money and disappears, report it to your local police and to the Department of Consumer Protection. Connecticut's Home Improvement Guaranty Fund may reimburse some homeowners who lose money to a registered contractor; ask DCP whether your situation qualifies.
5. Check reviews and complaints with your state consumer protection office and the Better Business Bureau before hiring.

Case status (as of Nov. 11, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Richard Kiely, 35, Bloomfield, Conn.	Hartford Superior Court (Connecticut)	Arrested Nov. 5, 2026, on warrant; charged with 2 counts second-degree larceny, 2 counts impersonating a registered home improvement contractor, 2 counts improper notice in sales agreement; posted $38,000 bond; arraignment set Nov. 19, 2026; presumed innocent	[1], [2], [3]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. Ronni Newton, "West Hartford Police: 'Contractor' Charged Residents More Than $40K for Uncompleted Jobs," We-Ha (West Hartford News), Nov. 10, 2026 (reporting a West Hartford Police Department statement). https://we-ha.com/west-hartford-police-contractor-charged-residents-more-than-40k-for-uncompleted-jobs/
2. Sean Humphrey, "Connecticut man charged with impersonating contractor in scams costing homeowners $40.5K total," FOX61, Nov. 9, 2026 (citing West Hartford police). https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/hartford-county/west-hartford/ct-man-charged-with-impersonating-contractor-in-scams-costing-homeowners-40k-total/520-52d8a810-5e9c-46f5-b8e2-a2df032377fc
3. Jennifer Lambert, "Bloomfield man accused of taking more than $40,000 from homeowners in construction scams," NBC Connecticut, Nov. 10, 2026 (citing the West Hartford Police Department). https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/bloomfield-man-accused-of-taking-more-than-40000-from-homeowners-in-construction-scams/3794395/

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