Contractor fined $6M for unfinished work

A New Jersey contractor faces millions of dollars in fines and can never operate a contracting business in the state again for starting jobs and never finishing them. Anthony Pizza, of A. Pizza Contracting,

News 12 Staff

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Jun 4, 2015, 2:45 AM

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Updated 3,534 days ago

A New Jersey contractor faces millions of dollars in fines and can never operate a contracting business in the state again for starting jobs and never finishing them.

Anthony Pizza, of A. Pizza Contracting, has been fined more than $6 million by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office. Officials say Pizza committed 571 violations of New Jersey's consumer protection laws.

North Haledon homeowner Al Payne says he hired Pizza in 2011 to renovate his home. Once the job got underway, Payne says Pizza demanded more money and then the work abruptly stopped.

"He disappeared in a sense," says Payne. "I had an attorney already, but he never responded to anything."

Payne says he is out more than $500,000. He is not sure if he will be able to get it back. The $6 million in fines Pizza faces include $580,000 for restitution for his customers.

"I'm wishing for the best and hoping for the best," says Payne. "We'll see what happens."

News 12 New Jersey went to Pizza's business in Clifton, but no one answered.