Fraudster fined $1.1 million after defrauding Minnesota homeowners
Ryan David Pietron will pay $518,000 in restitution to victims and is barred from the construction industry for life.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Minnesota homeowners will receive a total of $518,000 in restitution from a St. Cloud contractor who promised renovations but never completed the work. The state also collected $518,000 in civil penalties from the firm.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office announced the judgment against Ryan David Pietron and his company, Affordable Home Remodeling, on Thursday. The lawsuit had been filed in Hennepin County in October 2025. Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that Pietron played fast and loose with people's home renovation dreams and needs.
Pietron, 29, claimed to hold proper licenses while tricking customers into hiring him for remodeling projects. According to the release, he sent fake progress updates to keep customers engaged. These updates included a forged invoice from a real company used to secure additional payments.
The scheme involved repeatedly leaving town with customer funds without finishing the jobs. When victims tracked him down, Pietron promised full refunds but never followed through. The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry had previously banned him for falsely claiming to be licensed.
The office identified victims in Minneapolis, Lino Lakes, Richfield, Chaska, and Cambridge during the initial announcement of the suit. The remaining $33,000 of the fine covers the costs of the Attorney General’s Office and attorney fees. Pietron is permanently barred from doing construction business in Minnesota.
