Two Los Angeles County men were arrested this week in connection with a construction scam that defrauded multiple Ventura County residents out of more than $1.3 million, authorities said.
Ben Nino Hunter, 51, of Hidden Hills, and Moran Elkarif, 44, of Los Angeles, were charged with seven felony counts, including grand theft, conspiracy to defraud another’s property, and diversion of construction funds. They also face two misdemeanor charges for contracting without a license and accepting excessive payment, according to Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko. The charges include special allegations for targeting a vulnerable victim, abusing a position of trust, and causing substantial financial loss.
Investigators said Hunter and Elkarif, operating under business names such as Welbilt Inc. and Archie Inc., carried out similar schemes across multiple construction projects. In one case, the men were hired for mold remediation work but allegedly caused extensive damage, demanded additional payments, and failed to complete the job. Similar conduct was reported by at least two other Ventura County victims, officials said…