British National Indicted in Organized Multi-state Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme

PROVIDENCE – A British national from Northern Ireland illegally in the United States has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island for participating in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

The indictment charges Elijah Gavin a/k/a Timothy O’Reilly a/ka/ Elijah Thomas, 29, with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Court documents allege as follows:

• Gavin and other co-conspirators are purported to be associated with the so-called Traveling Conmen Fraud Group (Conmen Travelers), a group recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terrorist Screen Center as a Transnational Organized Crime (TCO) group.
• According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, Conmen Travelers are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who entered the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstayed their visits or, more commonly, entered the United States illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work. The members often quote a low price, and then, after further inspection, demand much more money and/or convince the homeowner that their homes or business are in need of major repairs. Conmen Travelers often hire day laborers; do not have work authorization documents or pull permits; and do low quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work, sometimes damaging homeowners’ residences.
• Gavin and his co-conspirators defrauded property owners in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York of over one million dollars. They did this by, among other things, misrepresenting to property owners who they are, the qualifications of their construction businesses, and construction needs or repairs required on properties.
• Gavin and his co-conspirators formed and used multiple construction businesses and falsely represented the business’ status, experience, and quality of work; falsely represented their identities and skills to homeowners; and made false representations to property owners regarding the condition of their properties, work they would perform, and the machinery, materials, and equipment needed to perform work.
• As part of this conspiracy, Gavin and his co-conspirators collected funds for work that was not needed, was incomplete, and in some instances when no work was performed.
• Additionally, these co-conspirators billed property owners and collected funds for equipment that was not needed or used.
• Monies collected through this conspiracy were deposited into bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators or transferred to other individuals who laundered the fraudulently obtained monies.
• The victims of this scheme included a 78-year-old Rhode Island woman who was fraudulently induced to pay over $850,000 for unnecessary foundation and basement repairs, including in checks written to Gavin and others.     

Gavin has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in New Jersey on January 29, 2025. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in U.S. District Court in Providence on March 10, 2025. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean.

The matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service.

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