The owner of a Long Island chimney-cleaning business has been charged with ordering his band of “artful dodger” employees to bilk elderly clients.
Suffolk County prosecutors said Bryan Borzell, 27, of Amityville, lived in a dilapidated house with a group of transient workers whom he encouraged or intimidated to locate vulnerable targets through telemarketing cold calls.
Once they were admitted to a home, teams of two would steal credit cards while convincing the homeowners that they needed chimney service.
Borzell pleaded not guilty yesterday in Riverhead to grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, identity theft, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
One of his employees, Joseph Manginello, 20, pleaded not guilty to grand larceny and identity theft. Manginello said Borzell menaced employees if they refused to take part in his schemes.