Pool News
Pool Builder Scams – What To Look Out For When Building a Pool
A growing number of pool builder scams are popping up from coast to coast. This comes after a recent increase in pool construction over the last two years. More and more consumers are complaining of mismanaged pool installation projects. A list of builders under investigation continues to grow by the day.
Pool Builders Facing Serious Jail Time For Allegedly Defrauding Homeowners
District Attorney Terry Houck is accusing 58-year-old Roger Kornfeind of scamming 76 people in Northampton County out of $1,378,146 in down payments for pools he never installed. Houck alleges Kornfeind had been collecting deposits but failing to install pools and hot tubs he had been contracted for.
Deputy District Attorney Jim Augustine suggested that a growing number of consumers looking to have a pool installed during the pandemic created an easy crime of opportunity.
“I think it certainly helped that Mr. Kornfeind was able to have a steady stream of people looking for swimming pools because public pools were closed. There were limited activities in the public, in the community during the quarantine,” said Augustine.
The allegations are that Kornfeind’s company Hydro Dynamic Pools was undercutting the market with zero intention to complete any of the projects he was selling, telling customers: “‘I don’t care what anyone else is telling you, I’ll get you swimming in 90 days or 60 days,’ and that led to a lot of this,” said Augustine.
A Systemic Problem Of Pool Builder Fraud Is On The Rise
It’s a problem that isn’t isolated to one particular market and has been popping up anywhere and everywhere that there is a white-hot demand for pools. Consumer confidence and low-interest rates on pool financing have caused a spike in consumer interest.
One company Amore Pools out of Indian River County in Florida is facing serious allegations that include 16 crimes. Charges include seven counts of identity fraud, four counts of money laundering, insurance fraud, contracting without a license. In addition, they’re charged with making false statements of compliance and participating in a scheme to defraud.
Owners Chrystal and Brian Washburn of Treasure Coast are accused of taking large deposits to build inground pools, but never completing the projects. One alleged victim, Alice Patterson, claims after paying Amore Pools $21,000 in deposits she was left with a stagnant and dangerous hole in her backyard – and nothing else. She claims the couple was charismatic and had a believable sales pitch which she bought into. However, after months went by with excuse after excuse without any work being performed. Patterson says she discovered a Facebook group where other alleged victims were sharing similar stories.
Officials claim the Washburns were accepting large deposits to begin pool projects. Prosecutors allege the work that was performed hurt the structure of buildings. There are accusations that work also passed property lines, and remained untouched for months at a time.
The now-defunct company faces a litany of charges stemming from over 150 homeowners in six counties. At least a 25% deposit was collected on the majority of them, FDLE agents said; with the overwhelming majority of those projects left uncompleted by Amore’.
Homeowners Getting Taken By Pool Builder Scammers
The pervasive problem of pool builders taking advantage of unwitting customers is an issue that recently arose in South Carolina. There is a long list of unsatisfied customers who want their day in court with Travis Taylor. Officials have since revoked his ability to obtain a permit and construct pools in Aiken County. Court documents go so far as to accuse Taylor of a “scheme to defraud”. Records cite “multiple incidents” where he took deposits for inground pool projects and failed to complete the job.
Taylor is by no means a licensed pool contractor. In the state of South Carolina, he actually doesn’t have to be. Right now the official laws on the books in that state only require a license if you’re going to be building commercial pools in places like hotels and water parks. State legislators tried to change that earlier this year but the bill failed to pass.
Scammers Taking Advantage of Increase in Demand for Swimming Pools
The enthusiasm to capitalize on the momentum of the pool industry has drawn many inexperienced and unscrupulous pool companies who are eager to start installing pools. The state contractors board began fining ex-Cabot firefighter turned pool builder – Austin Logan $400 each day after leaving 14 pool projects abandoned in various stages.
The Cabot fire department to which Logan was employed fired him. Citing conduct that brought into question the integrity of the fire department and mayor’s administration, Logan was terminated.
Jamie Wilhite, an investigator for the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board, has been investigating Logan. “We’ve had around six pools at $126,000 that nothing has been done and we’ve got a little over half a million dollars of about eight pools that the projects are not finished,” said Wilhite.
Builder Accused of Skipping Town With Money
The situation isn’t much better for homeowners down in Miami who have been dealing with pool builders who have allegedly taken deposits and skipped town altogether.
Angel Lacasse said he contracted with Ricardo Villarroel’s company, Villa Pavers and Pools. Lacasse says he paid a deposit of $21,000 to have a pool built in his backyard. Villarroel has been arrested by authorities and is charged with defrauding homeowners for over a million dollars.
Luis Alvarez Daboin of Conquer Pools, and Villa Pavers and Pools salespersons Michael Borrego and Laura Ballester Alpizar in addition to Villarroel himself, are now facing additional racketeering charges associated with the investigation. Over 100 homeowners across the state of Florida are claimed to be affected in this case.
Subcontractor Allegedly Operating Another Businesses License
The problem is symptomatic of the frenetic pace of which pools are being built across the country. Quite often state licensing departments simply can’t keep up with the volume of complaints they are receiving from homeowners. The amount of open investigations into allegations of fraud and negligence has been increasing exponentially in sync with the increase in consumer interest.
*A&S Pools and Pavers is a pool builder who allegedly provided misleading information to the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors. They’ve been accused of dropping the ball and allowing A&S to operate. The company claims that it is licensed on its website but investigators couldn’t find any license that is attached to the owner or the business. A search of permits uncovered a completely different company name listed on them.
*(not affiliated with Anthony & Sylvan Pools)
A company called Gabbidon Construction or Gabbidon Builders, both owned by Leonard Gabbidon was listed on 10 of the pool permits. The North Carolina Licensing Board filed a complaint stating Gabbidon failed to disclose a bankruptcy in 2020 and instead claim he misled them on his application.
Meanwhile, A&S customer Janet Hadjar’s backyard still looks like an abandoned construction zone. After paying owner Mario Salmeron $33,000, Hadjar claims construction came to a halt when A&S complained of delays and began making excuses. Hadjar says she has no idea who Leonard Gabbidon is and wants answers on why Salmeron was allowed to use Gabbidon’s license. “I am a little surprised that it has gone this far,” said Hadjar. “So when I found out he was using another contractor’s license, I was shocked.”
What to Look Out For When Building a Swimming Pool
Ryan Baird, owner of Beyond Blue Pools said consumers should be on the lookout for “can’t miss deals” that are too good to be true. “Homeowners need to get quotes from at least a dozen pool builders and evaluate prices,” said Baird.
“Watch out if the builder is coming in ten to twenty thousand dollars under the lowest bid you are getting,” said Southern Poolscapes co-owner Aaron Rogers, “If they don’t know how to price a pool to begin with, that is definitely a big red flag.”
Emile Stinchcombe, owner of Aquaguard Pools said, “We’ve definitely seen more of this since the pandemic started. Homeowners need to really research and do their homework before hiring just anyone to work in their backyard. The consequences can be absolutely devastating.”
“Some of the things you want to look for are open litigations. Complaints on review sites or on social media are also an indication that things may be going south,” said Stinchcombe.
Jason DeBosky a Virginia-based inground pool builder and owner of Crystal Blue Aquatics said, “There are numerous things consumers can do to make sure the process goes smoothly. Research pool builder reviews. Also ask to go on a “pool tour” of past completed jobs and ask for references from past customers. Any pool company worth their salt will jump at the chance to provide solid references.”
“How you pay your contractor is extremely important,” said Brandt Gibert, owner of Windgate Custom Pools a pool construction company in New Orleans. “Avoid paying a huge down payment upfront. That gives the pool contractor incentive to continue to drive the construction process forward. Make sure payments are chained to major milestones of work being performed. Work with a lender that puts cash in your hands. Don’t sign off on work that hasn’t been completed to your satisfaction.”
Landmark Aquatic is pleased to announce that three of its aquatic facility projects received 2026 PHTA Awards of Excellence from the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA), one of the pool and spa industry’s premier design competitions.
- Doris Roznovak Aquatic Center, Taylor, TX — Merit Award, Commercial Aquatic Facilities
- Danville High School Natatorium Danville, IN — Merit Award, Commercial Aquatic Facilities
- Astra Tower Apartments, Salt Lake City, UT — Silver Award, Elevated Pool and Spa Structures
PHTA is the trade association representing the swimming pool, hot tub, and spa industry. Its annual International Awards of Excellence is one of the industry’s largest and most respected design competitions, recognizing the most creative and innovative pools, spas, hot tubs, and water features built each year. Hundreds of entries are submitted annually by professionals across the U.S. and around the world.
“PHTA is proud to recognize our members for their craftsmanship, inspired design, and dedication to elevating the industry,” said Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President and CEO of PHTA.
“These awards reflect what it takes to design, build, operate, and maintain a truly successful aquatic facility,” said J. Ryan Casserly, Chief Executive Officer of Landmark Aquatic. “That level of commitment shows up in the work of everyone on our team, and we’re proud to keep investing in serving our customers and the communities who enjoy these facilities.”
About Landmark
Landmark Aquatic is a nationwide provider of commercial aquatic facility design, construction, and maintenance services, with more than six decades of industry experience. Landmark supports clients across most of the U.S. through construction-led solutions and its AquatiCare maintenance program — delivering excellence “for the life of your pool” and building long-term partnerships through exceptional service and forward-thinking solutions. Learn more at www.landmarkaquatic.com
NORRISTOWN, Pennsylvania – Women in the Industry (WITI), an initiative of the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA), is proud to host its 3rd Annual WITI Walk on Sunday, October 11, 2026, beginning at 10:00 a.m. at scenic Norristown Farm Park in Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Participants may also join virtually from anywhere in the country, allowing supporters nationwide to walk, run, or donate in support of a shared mission: ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn the life-saving skill of swimming.
The walk benefits Every Child a Swimmer (ECAS), a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing childhood drowning by providing swim lesson scholarships to children from low-income families, promoting water safety education, and advancing legislation that expands access to drowning prevention resources. Drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages one to four, making access to swimming lessons and water safety education more important than ever.
The partnership between NESPA, WITI, and Every Child a Swimmer reflects the pool industry’s unwavering commitment to safety. While WITI exists to empower, mentor, and elevate women throughout the industry, its members also recognize the important role they play in protecting families and promoting the safe enjoyment of water. Together, these organizations help educate communities, expand access to swim lessons, and work toward a future where every child has the opportunity to learn to swim.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with Every Child a Swimmer,” said WITI leadership. “As women in the pool industry, we understand that our work extends beyond building and maintaining pools, it includes educating communities, promoting water safety, and helping save lives. Together, we can make a meaningful difference.”
Leading Every Child a Swimmer is Executive Director Casey McGovern, whose commitment to drowning prevention is deeply personal.
After losing her 19-month-old daughter, Edna Mae (“Em”), to drowning in 2009, McGovern dedicated her life to ensuring other families never experience the same tragedy. Today, her leadership has helped grow Every Child a Swimmer into a national network of more than 430 participating swim school locations across 46 states, providing nearly $1 million annually in swim lesson scholarships for children in need.
“Our mission is simple,” said McGovern. “Every child deserves the opportunity to learn this life-saving skill, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances. Through partnerships like WITI, we’re expanding access to swim lessons, measuring outcomes, and helping ensure more children gain the skills they need to stay safe around water.”
Participants of all ages and abilities are encouraged to register, walk, run, sponsor the event, or donate. Those unable to attend in Pennsylvania can participate virtually from anywhere in the country by walking in their own communities while supporting the cause online.
Register Today
https://nespa.users.membersuite.com/events/683a8c52-0078-ce39-202f-0b49bfa98b74/details
Event Information:
2026 WITI Walk
Sunday, October 11, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Norristown Farm Park
2500 Upper Farm Road
Norristown, PA 19403
Virtual participation is available nationwide.
Every registration, sponsorship, and donation helps provide life-saving swim lessons to children who otherwise could not afford them. Thanks to generous matching support, every dollar donated will be quadrupled, significantly increasing the impact for children and families.
About Women in the Industry (WITI)
Women in the Industry (WITI), an initiative of the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA), is dedicated to empowering, connecting, mentoring, and supporting women throughout the pool, spa, and outdoor living industry. Through education, networking, philanthropy, and leadership opportunities, WITI fosters professional growth while giving back to communities through charitable initiatives such as the annual WITI Walk.
About the Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA)
The Northeast Spa & Pool Association (NESPA) is a regional trade association serving the pool, spa, and outdoor living industry throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. For more than 65 years, NESPA has supported its members through education, advocacy, professional development, networking, and consumer outreach while promoting the highest standards of safety, professionalism, and industry excellence.
About Every Child a Swimmer
Every Child a Swimmer is a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing childhood drowning by providing swim lesson scholarships to children from low-income families, promoting water safety education, and advocating for legislation that expands access to drowning prevention initiatives. The organization believes every child deserves the opportunity to learn the life-saving skill of swimming.
Media Contact
Phone: 609.689.9111
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.nespapool.org
Drone delivery may be the future of getting everyday purchases to your doorstep, but apparently Amazon still has a few kinks to work out — particularly when swimming pools are involved.
A video making the rounds on social media this week shows what should have been a routine Amazon drone delivery going very wrong. Instead of safely depositing the customer’s order on dry ground, the package winds up in the backyard swimming pool.
The incident is funny enough when viewed through the lens of an unexpected pool delivery. But it also highlights a very real challenge Amazon faces as it prepares to dramatically expand its Prime Air drone delivery program across the United States.
And remarkably, this isn’t the first time an Amazon drone has put a customer’s package in the pool.
Amazon Has Already Made This Mistake Before
In July 2025, Arizona resident Daniel Muniz decided to try Prime Air after seeing drone delivery available for his order in Avondale.
The delivery was captured on video.
Amazon’s drone successfully reached the property and released the shoebox-sized package over the designated area. There was just one problem: the downward force generated by the drone’s propellers pushed the package several feet across the yard and directly into Muniz’s swimming pool.
Fortunately, the contents weren’t particularly vulnerable to water. Muniz had ordered vitamins.
The incident was especially notable because Amazon’s delivery system is designed to identify suitable drop locations around a customer’s property. Amazon explains that its mapping technology identifies “delivery zones” free of obstacles and establishes appropriate delivery points within those areas.
The company even specifically acknowledges swimming pools as something the technology needs to recognize.
According to Amazon, a swimming pool can appear to be a flat surface in satellite imagery despite obviously being an unsuitable location for a package delivery. Once the drone reaches the designated location, the aircraft descends to approximately 13 feet above the ground, checks that the area is clear and releases the package.
In the Avondale incident, the package wasn’t intentionally dropped into the water. It initially landed on dry ground before the drone’s prop wash sent it into the pool.
Amazon apologized to the customer at the time, characterizing incidents like it as rare.
A year later, however, another swimming pool has clearly managed to intercept an Amazon delivery.
Pools Aren’t the Only Problem
Swimming pools haven’t been the only unexpected destinations for Amazon’s drones.
In another widely reported incident, an Amazon delivery drone came down in a residential garden after experiencing problems during operation. Other incidents have been considerably more serious than a wet package.
In February 2026, an Amazon Prime Air drone struck the exterior of an apartment complex in Richardson, Texas, before the damaged aircraft fell to the ground.
Amazon’s drone program has also faced scrutiny following collisions involving infrastructure. These episodes underscore the complexity of operating autonomous aircraft at scale in residential environments where drones must contend with buildings, trees, utility infrastructure, changing weather conditions and other obstacles.
Amazon says its latest MK30 drones use a sophisticated perception and “Detect-and-Avoid” system designed to identify obstacles and make navigation decisions autonomously.
That technology is going to become increasingly important because Amazon isn’t backing away from drone delivery.
It’s doing the opposite.
Amazon Plans a Massive Drone Delivery Expansion
Amazon announced this week that it intends to expand Prime Air to nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026, a dramatic increase from the 11 locations where the service currently operates. New markets are expected to include areas around Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, Syracuse and Boise.
The company says each Prime Air location can serve communities within roughly a 7.5-mile radius. Its MK30 drones can transport eligible packages weighing up to five pounds, with Amazon targeting delivery times of roughly an hour or less.
Amazon has already completed hundreds of thousands of drone deliveries this year, according to Prime Air Vice President David Carbon.
The long-term ambitions are considerably larger.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has said the company believes drone delivery could eventually reach 30 million customers and handle as many as half a billion packages annually by 2030.
The appeal isn’t difficult to understand.
For small, lightweight purchases, a drone potentially eliminates much of the traditional last-mile delivery process. Instead of waiting for a delivery van to work its way through dozens or hundreds of stops, an individual aircraft can carry an order directly from a nearby fulfillment facility to a customer’s home.
Need sunscreen before heading outside? Batteries for a poolside speaker? A replacement part or bottle of test strips?
Amazon envisions those types of purchases arriving from the sky in less time than it might take someone to drive to a store and back.
The company says more than 60,000 products are already eligible for drone delivery in supported markets, ranging from household necessities to electronics.
That’s a compelling vision of where residential delivery could be headed.
The technology just needs to become consistently boring.
Right now, the occasional drone crash, unexpected landing or package taking a swim makes for an entertaining viral video. As Amazon expands Prime Air from a relatively limited program into hundreds of communities, however, the margin for these mistakes becomes increasingly important.
Delivering a bottle of vitamins into someone’s swimming pool is inconvenient and a little funny.
Doing the same thing with a smartphone probably isn’t.
Judging by the occasional package ending up at the bottom of a swimming pool, there are still a few bugs left to work out first.
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