A spring hailstorm was supposed to mean fresh roofs and new siding in South Milwaukee. Instead, several families say it turned into a financial nightmare. Local homeowners report that a roofer scooped up thousands of dollars in down payments after the May 2024 storm, then disappeared before a single shingle was replaced.
Mary and Mike Nowakowski say they handed over a little more than $3,800 from an insurance payout to a company called Property Restoration Professionals and are still living with the same leaky roof. Milwaukee County prosecutors now allege the contractor collected money from multiple families and have charged the business operator with several felony counts of theft by contractor.
Police and court records outline the complaints
According to WISN 12 News, the Nowakowskis signed a contract with Property Restoration Professionals in November 2024, only to see months pass with no work performed. They later filed a civil lawsuit over the stalled project.
Court documents show another homeowner paid as much as $20,000 for siding. A court commissioner ordered the company’s operator, Owen Masters, to repay the Nowakowskis’ down payment, although the couple says they have received nothing so far.
WISN 12 News also reports that a former employee turned over text messages to police in which Masters stated, "Obviously spent the money last year when I was making very poor choices." Those messages have become a key piece of the paper trail for investigators.
Prosecutors say projects never started and permits are missing
As reported by FOX6Now, Milwaukee County prosecutors charged Masters in late December with three counts of felony theft by contractor. The criminal complaint alleges that customers paid thousands of dollars for roofing and siding, yet the projects never got off the ground.
The City of South Milwaukee has no record of building permits for the jobs in question. The outlet also notes that Property Restoration Professionals is not licensed to operate in Wisconsin, according to its reporting on the case.
Sales staff from the company have been talking to investigators. Masters’ salesmen cooperated with law enforcement, and one former salesman even returned part of a customer’s down payment from his own pocket.
Court appearance, bond and the victims' priority
WISN 12 News reports that Masters appeared in court this month, where a Milwaukee County court commissioner set his bond at $7,500. Online jail records show that bond was paid.
According to WISN 12 News, the commissioner emphasized that for homeowners who say they are out huge sums, the main concern is getting their money back, not the backstory of how it disappeared. In court, the commissioner summed up the victims’ mindset this way: "I would imagine the people, especially the person that paid $20,000 and didn't get any work done, doesn't really care about if there's a drug problem or not. They're out $20,000, that's all they care about." For now, the criminal case remains pending while prosecutors and police continue their investigation.
Consumer warnings and civil filings
The Better Business Bureau offered some cautionary advice in comments to FOX6. The organization recommends limiting down payments, tying additional payments to completed work, paying by check, and insisting on a detailed written contract. Those basic steps, they note, can make it easier to pursue a claim if something goes sideways.
Separate from the criminal case, at least one civil lawsuit has surfaced in the court record. A public notice and civil filing in Milwaukee County show a suit against Masters and his LLC, according to a court publication reviewed by The Daily Reporter. Victims say they are pursuing both criminal restitution and private lawsuits in an effort to recover their money.
What’s next
The story may not be over. Local coverage indicates that the investigation is still active and that additional alleged victims could step forward as the case moves through the Milwaukee County system, according to HERE Milwaukee.
Anyone who paid Property Restoration Professionals is being urged to hang on to contracts, payment records and any communications with the company, and to contact South Milwaukee Police or the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office. This case is still developing, and further court filings and official statements are expected as it moves ahead.
