Ep 3. The Contractor from Hell/The Check's in the Mail

American Greed: The Fugitives season 1 episode 3 titled "The Contractor from Hell/The Check's in the Mail" is a thrilling documentary that exposes two different cases of fraud committed by delinquent contractors. The episode showcases how people who seem relatively trustworthy can easily deceive their clients, and highlights their audacious disregard for the law.

The first case is about a contractor named Luis Quintana, who was known as the “Contractor from Hell”. Quintana operated as a contractor offering home renovation services in the New York area, and clients would pay him upwards of tens of thousands for his services. He would take their money and disappear without ever completing the promised work. It was later revealed that Quintana had a long history of theft, including a prior conviction for fraud.

The episode interviews some of Quintana’s former clients, who express their anger and frustration over losing their money and their homes being left unfinished. One of those clients, a retired New York City police detective, was even conned by Quintana for over $100,000. The detective says he hired Quintana to remodel his four-story brownstone in Brooklyn, but Quintana abandoned the job, leaving him with a demolished house.

The second case involves the notorious Joseph Caramadre, who orchestrated a cunning investment scheme which saw many investors suffer heavy financial losses. Caramadre was a Rhode Island-based financial planner who created a scheme that involved purchasing annuities for terminally ill people and later cashing them in for a profit when the people died. He convinced the terminally ill patients’ families to let him buy the annuities, promising them thousands of dollars upon their loved ones’ passing.

The scam went unnoticed for a while, as Caramadre was signing contracts with the terminally ill people, but when the beneficiaries of the annuity discovered the fraud, Caramadre was exposed and charged with multiple counts of fraud. The episode features interviews with the prosecutors and plaintiffs involved in the case, as well as some of the terminally ill beneficiaries’ families who fell victim to the scheme.

The documentary also explores how Caramadre's fraudulent schemes were unethical and hurtful to the families of the terminally ill people. The families believed they were helping their loved ones, but in reality, they were being deceived and exploited for their money. Ultimately, Caramadre's greed lead to his downfall.

“The Contractor from Hell/The Check's in the Mail” episode showcases how far people can go to get rich quick, even if it means deceiving and exploiting others. The episode also educates viewers on the importance of due diligence, scams, and the far-reaching effects of financial fraud. Viewers will be left with a cautious reminder to always read the fine print and thoroughly investigate anyone they plan to do business with.