NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man who ran a South Florida contracting business called “Master Home Improvements” was more of an amateur, police said, failing to get a license and bailing on a driveway job, leaving an unhappy customer out more than $8,000.
Authorities arrested the alleged “Master” himself, George Carlos Rodriguez, at his apartment in North Miami Beach’s Eastern Shores neighborhood Wednesday.
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According to an arrest report from the Miami-Dade Police Department, on April 14, 2021, the victim entered into an $11,000 contract with Rodriguez, 56, to remove and excavate an existing driveway and dispose of all debris, then pour concrete for a new, circular driveway. Police said he also agreed to install a new fence.
Police said Rodriguez did some work, pouring the concrete and cutting for cracks, but stamped it with the wrong color and never paid another contractor to seal the cement. That contractor then threatened to place a lien on the victim’s property, authorities said.
They said Rodriguez also never removed the debris as promised and dropped out of contact with the victim after the victim said he was going to file a report.
Through May 2021, Rodriguez had gotten $8,075 from the victim and wouldn’t return it, according to the arrest report.
Police said Rodriguez never turned up in state and county contractor licensing databases. Rodriguez and Master Home Improvements are listed in a state business licensing database, however.
The victim told police Wednesday that he still wished to press charges. They then arrested Rodriguez on a felony grand theft charge, as well as misdemeanor charges of contracting without a license and falsely advertising as a licensed contractor.
The last charge stems from his use of another contractor’s license, the arrest report states.
Rodriguez was no longer listed in Miami-Dade jail records as of Thursday afternoon.