(Photo: HomePros)
FRANKFORT, Ill. — Dec. 20, 2025
A south suburban Chicago contractor has been charged with felony offenses after multiple customers reported paying thousands of dollars for work that was never completed or was done poorly, authorities and local news reports say.
Aaron McMann, owner of Chi‑Line Construction, was charged in December 2025 with two class‑2 felony counts — theft by deception and aggravated home repair fraud — in connection with a complaint filed by a homeowner in Will County, according to an ABC7 Chicago news report.
Customers who spoke to the station’s investigative team said they paid McMann, who operated throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, significant sums for home improvement work that was either unfinished or poorly done. In one case, customer Kenneth Nading, an elderly disabled veteran, alleged he paid more than $15,000 as a down payment on a basement entryway project that never reached completion.
Nading was one of at least eight consumers interviewed for the investigation in early 2024; others reported paying anywhere from a few thousand dollars to more than $100,000 for work that was never finished or did not meet agreed standards. Some homeowners said they recovered money after disputing charges with credit card companies.
The Will County State’s Attorney’s Office confirmed the criminal charges are scheduled for a preliminary hearing in early 2026. McMann has not yet entered a plea, and attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful, the report said.
In addition to the criminal case, public records show that the Illinois Attorney General’s office had received numerous complaints against Chi‑Line Construction relating to alleged deceptive practices.
Authorities urge homeowners to retain written contracts, verify contractor licensing and insurance, and report suspected fraud to local law enforcement or the state attorney general’s office.