Lack of payment for completed construction works may result in criminal liability of the party ordering the works. We led the court of first instance to convict such an unreliable contractor. We demonstrated in the trial that the wronged subcontractor had been misled as to the general contractor’s ability to meet its obligations (fraud under Article 286 of the Criminal Code). The court imposed a suspended sentence of imprisonment on the accused debtor and ordered him to make good the loss in its entirety. It is worth mentioning that it is in the interest of the contractor (subcontractor) to collect a statement from the ordering party about its financial standing and ability to pay the agreed remuneration, which may later make it easier for the injured party to enforce its rights, also in criminal proceedings.