Illinois AG Files Civil Suit Against Builders For Stiffing Homebuyers

From the Illinois Attorney General's Office:

• "Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday [August 31] alleging that two Chicago area real estate developers have violated the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act by failing to complete construction on 39 homes and by further failing to refund $250,000 in down payments to the customers – most first-time home buyers with dreams of homeownership. Madigan's lawsuit names two individuals as defendants: John J. Popp, Jr., of Aurora and Christopher Smith of Peotone. The suit also names three corporate defendants: Lord & Essex, Inc., ... in Aurora, and Pembrooke Homes, L.L.C., and Estates at Brookmere, L.L.C., both of which are located ... in Matteson."

• "Thirty-nine would-be homeowners entered into agreements with Popp and Smith and made down payments to purchase new homes, but the developers have failed to complete the homes or return the down payments."

For more, see Illinois AG Press Release - Madigan Sues Cook County Developers Over Down Payments For New Homes (More than $250,000 in Disputed Down Payment Never Returned).