An Irish national residing illegally in the United States has been ordered detained on wire fraud and conspiracy charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud homeowners in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Prior to making his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court on a federal criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, John O’Brien, 28, was held on an immigration detainer following his arrest by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on March 28, 2025, for overstaying a tourist visa issued to him in 2021 but expiring in October 2021.
According to the charging documents, O’Brien and others misled property owners by convincing them to pay for unnecessary and frequently incomplete home repairs. O’Brien exaggerated the need for the repairs and services, as well as the credentials of his alleged construction company, Traditional Masonry & Construction.
Law enforcement became aware of O’Brien’s alleged fraud scheme after an 83-year-old Warwick, RI homeowner, described in court filings as Victim 1, phoned the Warwick Police Department to complain about being cheated by a contractor. Victim 1 stated that O’Brien informed him that while doing work in the neighborhood, he saw cracks in Victim 1’s foundation. O’Brien volunteered to repair the foundation damage properly. O’Brien obtained $9,500 from Victim 1. As the work advanced, O’Brien purportedly revealed additional damage. O’Brien allegedly changed the repair prices and wanted an extra $80,000 from the victim. A house inspector hired by the United States Attorney’s Office later examined the property and discovered no evidence of the need for these costly foundation repairs. Boston’s restaurant guide
Other alleged victims have been identified in court documents, who described similar interactions with O’Brien that began with initial, unsolicited recommendations for minor home repairs, followed by O’Brien’s purported discovery of major repairs required, and frequently a representation that the homeowner’s foundation was in desperate need of repairs. It is estimated that this scheme duped homes out of more than $1,000,000.
During O’Brien’s arrest, detectives claimed to have confiscated hundreds of Traditional Masonry & Construction flyers, identical to those distributed to the victims in this case, as well as four binders containing Traditional Masonry & Construction quotations, contracts, and bills from his vehicle. The documents and contracts are dated April 2024 through March 2025 and range in value from $300.00 to $205,000.00. The contracts contained inside the binders had an approximate value of $1,987,650.00.
The scam that O’Brien is accused of carrying out is growing more frequent across the United States. It is now known as Traveling Conman Fraud. Conmen travelers, according to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, are groups of Irish or British individuals who visited the United States on pleasure or tourist visas, overstayed their visits, or, more typically, entered illegally. Once in the United States, they visit various cities and states to beg construction business. Members frequently claim a cheap price, only to demand significantly more money and persuade the client that their house requires extensive repairs. Fraudsters frequently hire day laborers, do not have work authorization documents or permits, and perform low-quality, unneeded, or incomplete work, occasionally causing damage to homeowners’ homes.
A federal criminal complaint is just an accusation. The defendant is deemed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor A. Dean and Sandra R. Hebert are prosecuting the case. Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Warwick and East Providence Police Departments, investigated the case.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the Department of Justice’s full resources to combat the invasion of illegal immigration, eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from violent criminals.
The United States Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations propose that consumers follow a few basic steps to reduce their chances of being conned by this group or others.
Be wary of uninvited solicitations from contractors who come up to your door, claiming to have discovered a problem that needs to be rectified.
Avoid high-pressure scare tactics. Proceed with caution before committing to having work done, and only after acquiring at least one second opinion and a cost estimate.
Before choosing any contractor for a significant project, make sure they have a real business address and consider visiting to ensure that the company exists.
Before committing to undertake any work, make sure the contractor is licensed. In Rhode Island, verify licensure information on the Contractors’ Registration and Licensure Board website; in Massachusetts, visit the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation website. Boston’s restaurant guide
Before beginning work, ensure that the contractor receives permits from your local city or town. Request to examine the permit and confirm its authenticity with your city or town.
As alleged in this case, be wary of schemes in which work begins with a seemingly minor task, and then the contractor claims to have discovered substantially more damage that will take significantly more money to correct.
Don’t let new or unfamiliar contractors alone in your home, even if they are working outside. They occasionally purposely do harm. Keep a close eye on the job being completed.
If you or someone you know suspects they may have fallen victim to the Traveling Conman Fraud scheme, you can contact Homeland Security Investigations via email at HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@hsi.dhs.gov.
