A Minnesota court has issued a judgment against home renovation contractor Earl Christian Rode, IV and his company, High Road Builders, LLC, after finding they engaged in fraudulent practices. The judgment permanently bars Rode and his business from participating in the residential construction industry within the state. Additionally, they must pay $1.3 million in restitution to victims and another $1.3 million as a civil penalty to the State of Minnesota.
Attorney General Keith Ellison commented on the outcome: “I am committed to fighting fraud wherever I find it, including cases when bogus contractors like Rode take money for jobs they have no intention of completing,” said Attorney General Ellison. “I’m pleased to have put a stop to Rode’s scheme and won a multi-million dollar judgment that will pay back the people he stole from. I want to thank the families impacted for coming forward with their stories. They made this result possible. If you’ve been scammed by a contractor, don’t be ashamed and don’t be silent. My office and I will continue to make sure unscrupulous companies pay the price for their deception.”
The lawsuit was filed by Attorney General Ellison in October 2025 following reports that Rode deceived customers into hiring him for costly home renovations that were never completed. Despite being banned by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry from claiming licensed contractor status, Rode allegedly misrepresented himself as licensed and even claimed association with legitimate third-party contractors without any actual connection.
According to authorities, some customers received false progress updates or forged invoices meant to show orders had been placed with suppliers when none existed. In many cases, only minimal demolition work was done before Rode ceased all communication and failed to return any funds promised as refunds.
In total, ten Minnesota families lost $1.3 million through these actions.
Attorney General Ellison urges residents considering home improvement projects to research contractors online using available tools such as the license lookup provided by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry at www.dli.mn.gov, obtain written documentation from contractors, and thoroughly review all agreements before signing them.
While not all individuals working as “contractors” are required by law to hold state licenses—specialty contractors performing only one type of work (other than residential roofing) may be exempt—hiring someone who is licensed offers protections such as mandatory liability insurance coverage. Consumers who hire licensed contractors also have access to resources like the Contractor Recovery Fund administered by the Department of Labor and Industry; this fund can reimburse up to $75,000 per final judgment if consumers are unable to collect damages directly from licensed contractors found liable for fraudulent or deceptive practices.
For more information about consumer rights during home improvement projects or how to avoid scams, residents can consult publications like Home Building and Remodeling offered by the Office of Minnesota Attorney General or Consumer’s Guide to Hiring a Residential Building Contractor published by the Department of Labor and Industry.
Consumers experiencing issues with contractors are encouraged to file complaints online or contact the Attorney General’s Office via phone at (651) 296-3353 (Metro area), 1-800-657-3787 (Greater Minnesota), or 1-800-627-3529 (Minnesota Relay).
