Unlicensed contractor scammed elderly homeowner out of $60K for ‘little to no work,’ cops say

An unlicensed contractor -- who previously was accused of representing himself as a chaplain for a similar scam in 2015 -- conned an elderly man in Orange County out of more than $60,000 for repairs that were never completed, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Cleveland S. Brantley, 54, was booked into the Orange County jail about 5 p.m. Monday on charges of elderly exploitation, scheme to defraud and grand theft, records show.

According to an investigative report, the 77-year-old victim said he contacted Brantley through HomeAdvisor.com in 2016. Brantley came to the victim’s home on Whispering Maple Drive, near Hunter’s Creek, that August and offered to complete a variety of repairs, the report said.

The victim said Brantley told him that Allstate had confirmed it would cover the repairs -- even though the homeowner was not currently insured by the company -- by sending a check for $141,000 once all of the work was completed.

In the meantime, deputies say, Brantley asked for money upfront.

The victim paid Brantley’s companies, Global Initiative Contractors and Higher Ground Higher Praise, $9,000 from his checking account and another $51,780 with credit cards, according to records the homeowner provided to deputies. In return, he said Brantley did next to nothing.

“[The victim] advised he was constantly paying Cleveland Brantley, but Brantley was hardly doing any work,” the report said. “He advised the only reason he was continue to pay Brantley because Brantley convinced him he was going to be reimbursed by Allstate Insurance Company.”

Brantley had promised to re-roof the house, kill all mold, remove and replace the insulation and paint the ceilings in four rooms, according to a proposal the homeowner provided.

However, according to the report, Brantley demolished a bathroom he never rebuilt, put shingles on the roof that had to be replaced -- at additional cost to the homeowner -- and failed to do the other jobs, spending “less than a week, off and on” at the victim’s house.

A deputy spoke to Brantley ex-fiancu00e9e, who said she had broken up with him “because she came to the realization he was a scam artist.” She said she had given Brantley more than $200,000 while they were together and he left her with “significant” credit card debt. The ex-fiancu00e9e, a partner in Brantley’s businesses whose signature was on the proposal, said she was misled into signing it by Brantley.

Brantley has faced allegations of shady dealings dating back years.

In 2015, he faced charges in Lake County after investigators there said he scammed an 89-year-old man who had been involved in a fatal crash out of more than $20,000.

The man had struck and killed a pedestrian in Leesburg that June, when he was approached by Brantley, who called himself a chaplain. Brantley persuaded the man to write him checks, investigators said, purportedly for a retainer, a lawyer and to cover a funeral for the crash victim. After two years of legal wrangling, prosecutors dropped the charges against Brantley in that case, citing “victim/witness issues.”

Brantley has also at least twice faced charges in Georgia related to accepting payment for repairs authorities there said he never completed.

He remained in the Orange County jail Tuesday evening with bond set at $5,200.

jeweiner@orlandosentinel.com

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