Betrayed: The True Story of a Trusted Friend's Fraud, Deceit, and Betrayal

After his dream home was destroyed by fire, author David J. Bernard contracted with a trusted friend to build a new home. That decision would lead to a nightmare of faulty workmanship, structural failures, code infractions, inferior materials, and fraudulent use of funds. Not only did the friendship end, Bernard hired a lawyer and filed a lawsuit. The stress was incredible.
Many years and three heart attacks later, the author is far from alone in his ordeal; similar cases are occurring throughout the United States. The average defrauded homeowner does not have the resources to incur a drawn-out legal battle, making it easy for unscrupulous contractors and homebuilders to simply walk away, leaving the owners with insurmountable debt.
Betrayed is both a cautionary tale and a call to action – for the protection of law-abiding homeowners and the kind of legislative change that will safeguard future homeowners.