PROVIDENCE, RI – 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.
John O’Brien, 28, had been 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 which expired in October 2021.
According to the federal criminal complaint, O’Brien and others defrauded property owners by inducing them into paying for home repairs that were not needed and often not completed. O’Brien misrepresented the need for the repairs and services, as well as the qualifications of his purported construction business, Traditional Masonry & Construction.
The scheme allegedly came to the attention of law enforcement when an 83-year-old Warwick, RI, resident contacted the Warwick Police Department to complain that he had been defrauded by a contractor. The victim reported that O’Brien told him that, while doing work in the neighborhood, he observed cracks in the victim’s foundation. O’Brien offered to professionally repair the damage to the foundation. O’Brien collected $9,500 from the victim.
As described in court documents, other alleged victims have been identified who described similar interactions with O’Brien that began with initial, unsolicited recommendations for small home repairs, followed by O’Brien’s purported discovery of major repairs needed, and often a representation that the homeowner’s foundation was in urgent need of repairs. It is estimated that this scheme has defrauded homeowners out of over $1,000,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor A. Dean and Sandra R. Hebert. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Warwick and East Providence Police Departments.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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