SCHENECTADY – New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott today announced the arrest of a Schenectady-based home improvement contractor for falsifying paperwork to make it appear he had workers’ compensation insurance for a roofing project when in fact he did not.
James Provost, Jr., 51, of State Street, Schenectady, was charged today with Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a felony.
An investigation by Inspector General Leahy Scott found that Provost, who is facing criminal charges in an unrelated matter, submitted an application for a building permit for a $3,800 roof replacement job in the City of Schenectady in September 2014. The permit application required proof of workers’ compensation insurance and Provost submitted a certificate purportedly indicating he was covered for the work. That certificate, however, belonged to a different contracting company for which Provost never worked and which did not give Provost permission to use the certificate.
The company listed on that worker’s compensation coverage certification had no connection whatsoever with the roof rehabilitation project on Division Street for which Provost sought a building permit. The building permit for the roofing project was subsequently revoked when the workers’ compensation coverage certificate Provost filed was called into question.
“Workers’ Compensation coverage is meant to protect employees, but this home improvement contractor’s false permit application showed no regard for protecting any workers at the job site while corruptly giving himself an unfair competitive advantage over honest businesses,” said Inspector General Leahy Scott. “I will continue to use the resources of my office to pursue anybody who abuses and defrauds the workers’ compensation system.”
Provost was arraigned in the City of Schenectady Court and sent to the Schenectady County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash or $10,000 bond bail pending a court hearing set for Tuesday, May 31.
Inspector General Leahy Scott thanked Schenectady County District Attorney Robert M. Carney and his office for prosecuting this matter, the Schenectady Police Department for assisting with the arrest and the Schenectady Office of Code Enforcement for assisting with the investigation.
The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.