My Mom Paid A Scam Artist $60k

So my mom hired a contractor off a recommendation to build her pool house. The guy seemed great at first and came and showed her a blue print and talked through everything. My mom paid him upfront (I know) the total which was right around $60K. The issue was that this all happened TWO years ago.

Ever since he always comes up with an excuse why he can’t come. He can’t find subcontractors, he has the flu, he had to leave town suddenly, etc. He’s given every excuse possible and when he does show up the most he’s done is dig giant holes in her pool area that collect disgusting water and he’s turned off her gas to her fireplace so she can’t use that. He’s literally done nothing else in all of this time.

My mom is terrible with confrontation and she also believes since he already has the money, there is nothing she can do except hope that he’ll come and finish the job. I’m trying to tell her that he has scammed her and he has no intention of coming back, but what can we legally do to at least get some money back? Is there anything we can do aside from publicly blasting him on all social media?

ETA: We live in NC