By Dave Puglisi,Maria D’Agostino

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BOSTON (WHDH) – Lisa Marchetta said she paid Antonio Silva, the owner of Dreamscape Landscaping and Design, her life savings – more than $100,000 to redo her bedroom, bathroom, and build a pool.

“He said we’ll get this done…and I believed him,” said Marchetta.

She said the work on her house stopped after that, leaving her with exposed walls and half-finished projects.

“He’s telling me I don’t have money. I said I just gave you a check for $70,000. There’s no way you could’ve spent all that money with nothing to show in the house,” said Marchetta. “I try not to cry. I don’t even want to think about it because right now my financial stability is severely compromised.”

Jay Mettu said he knows the feeling; he hired the same contractor to remodel his kitchen and bathroom, and extend his deck.

“The only thing he did was, he did the flooring. Other than the flooring he did nothing,” Mettu explained.

Mettu said he paid Silva more than $80,000. He was left with a house without a kitchen.

“I paid for the cabinets, I paid for the granite, I paid for the appliances. None of them were delivered,” said Mettu. “I was starting to panic.”

Silva has a record of lawsuits, fraud charges, and failed companies stretching back decades. He has been sued at least seven times, losing every case.

Prosecutors in Middlesex and Essex counties have now opened criminal investigations into Silva.

7 Investigates reached out to Silva, who told a different story over the phone. He claimed he finished the jobs, and blamed the homeowners for not paying him.

He sent 7 Investigates pictures of half-finished projects, and a copy of one check he said bounced. Silva also admitted he never pulled permits for the work, which experts warn is a serious red flag.

“There is supposed to be a set of plans with it, so you can compare what they’re doing to what they say they’re gonna do,” explained John Luther, who works with the Massachusetts Building Commissioners and Inspectors Association.

Mettu was one of the ripped off clients who sued Silva, winning a $180,000 judgement. Mettu said he is waiting for that money.

Marchetta said what Silva took from her cannot be replaced.

“It’s like he just steals your dreams because he knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s taking something you really want,” she said.

Silva tells 7 Investigates he is no longer in the construction business.

If you are hiring a contractor, experts say you can protect yourself by putting 10 percent down on the job, and only pay as the work gets completed.

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