Felony charges alleging Dana John stole $3 million by failing to complete construction projects were just the latest in a series of legal troubles for the contractor who had built many luxury homes in Cattaraugus County.
In July 2021, Frank and Leah Ewing of Buffalo hired John to build a $1.3 million home in Ellicottville that would include a wine cellar and a golf simulator.
John assured the Ewings he would have the house completed by the end of 2022, and Frank Ewing said he made five separate payments to John totaling $1,125,000, according to court filings.
But by October of 2023, John had yet to finish building the garage, installing the siding, flashing windows and doors, and installing drywall, plumbing, electrical, heating and air conditioning. Kitchen cabinets and countertops were also missing, according to court papers.
“There was some work done on the house, but even the work that was done was outside the scope of the contract or not up to standard or code,” said Carmen A. Vacco, attorney for Frank Ewing. “It was basically a shell of a house, if that.”
The Ewing lawsuit against John, 56, of Great Valley, is among three civil cases alleging the builder took hundreds of thousands of dollars for projects without finishing them.
The lawsuits were filed prior to John’s arraignment in February on grand larceny and scheme to defraud charges.
Cattaraugus County sheriff’s investigators declined to say how many construction projects they were examining in the criminal case.
“Some of them are really nice ski homes, and some of them are pretty modest single-family homes. Some were small commercial projects,” said Capt. Jordan Haines, chief of detectives in the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office.
Haines said the investigation was ongoing. John was released on his own recognizance after his arraignment Feb. 29 in Ellicottville Town Court. He’s due back in town court on March 21.
John, who did not respond to text…
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