Aim Media Indiana
Three Bartholomew County residents have been accused of manufactured home fraud in a lawsuit filed Monday by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.
The lawsuit alleges the defendants — Steven Singer, Jocel Singer and Aron Singer — engaged in the sales of manufactured homes without a license from the Secretary of State Auto Dealer Services Division. The defendants allegedly did business at times under such names as Singer Manufactured Homes, Cabin Creek Homes, Rock Creek Homes, and United Palace Home Transport and Sales.
The defendants are also alleged to have promised or completed installations of manufactured homes without a manufactured home installers license.
The suit filed in Bartholomew Superior Court alleges multiple violations of the Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act. It seeks restitution for victims, an order barring the defendants from advertising or engaging in manufactured home sales, court costs and fines of $5,000 for every knowing or intentional violation.
“We’re acting on behalf of Hoosiers who in some cases paid tens of thousands for services they never received in a satisfactory manner,” Rokita said. “Our team works diligently to protect the proverbial little guy from getting conned by slick hustlers just looking to make a quick buck. We will hold accountable anyone who dupes consumers in violation of our laws.”
One consumer complained about a transaction in which the defendants allegedly failed to arrange for installation of a manufactured home as agreed, failed to install working appliances as agreed, and otherwise failed to meet their contractual obligations to the complainant after she paid them $36,000 in cash.
The defendants also allegedly failed to deliver a title to the manufactured home — on which the complainant ultimately had to spend additional money to make livable. The complainant later learned the defendants lacked proper licensure to sell and install manufactured homes.
The defendants’ alleged wrongdoing spanned many years.
In 2014, the defendants allegedly received a cease-and-desist order from the Manufactured Home Installers Licensing Board — but thereafter worked to hide their transactions from authorities by both insisting on cash and by conducting advertising/sales online using various social media accounts and marketplaces.
In February of 2023, the Indiana Secretary of State sent the defendants another cease-and-desist notice relating to alleged violations of dealership licensing requirements.
If you purchased a manufactured home from any of the listed defendants or paid them for the installation of your manufactured home in the last five years, please file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Homeowner Protection Unit at in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer-protection-division/licensing/.