An Ankeny contractor who admitted to blowing customer money on “gambling” and “irresponsible spending” was sentenced on December 18, 2025, to 3 years in federal jail. In response to court records, he was punished for mendacity throughout chapter proceedings.
Louis Grant Peterson, who additionally glided by “Chip Peterson,” is 61 and previously owned Legacy Siding and Home windows, an exterior building firm primarily based in Ankeny. Prosecutors say Peterson collected lots of of hundreds of {dollars} in deposits from clients for home improvement projects he never finished. He later advised the FBI that he spent a lot of that cash on playing and different private bills.
Ankeny Man Sentenced to Three Years’ Imprisonment for Chapter Fraud https://t.co/ddb1hfUE7S
— US Lawyer Workplace – Southern District of Iowa (@USAO_SDIA) December 23, 2025
Court docket information additionally present this wasn’t the primary time Peterson had run into hassle. In 2024, he was convicted of theft in Woodbury County after taking greater than $50,000 upfront for building work that was by no means performed.
Unfavorable evaluations present sample of habits
In response to a Yelp review, one consumer met with Peterson in Des Moines in 2017. They later despatched a deposit to begin repairs, nonetheless, they added: “The job by no means bought completed and we had been advised that they didn’t use all of our cash that his associate scammed him and we’d want to attend till Chip bought the whole lot straightened out with the courts. We’ve not heard something and the job will not be completed. The final [conversation] was in 2019.”
Related evaluations had been seen on the corporate’s Fb web page, nonetheless, they haven’t been independently verified.
Ankeny contractor admits playing away buyer funds in federal fraud case
After racking up practically $1 million in unsecured debt, Peterson filed for chapter safety. However throughout these proceedings, he made a number of false statements about his job, companies, earnings, financial institution accounts, instruments, gear, electronics, and jewellery. Investigators stated Peterson later admitted he had “no thought” the place the earnings figures he reported got here from and acknowledged that he hadn’t paid taxes for a number of years.
Authorities additionally stated that even after he was federally indicted, Peterson took a $17,000 deposit for a window set up job he by no means accomplished. The cash was finally returned after the victims filed a grievance with the Iowa Lawyer Normal’s Workplace.
The case was introduced by U.S. Lawyer David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa. The FBI investigated the case with assist from the Workplace of the USA Trustee, and Assistant U.S. Lawyer Joseph Lubben prosecuted it.
Featured picture: Legacy Siding and Home windows by way of NextDoor
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