Two Irish brothers who 'duped' pensioner into paying over $400K for home repairs charged by US prosecutors
The brothers appeared before the District Court in Seattle on Monday accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud from an elderly man in Shoreline in Washington
Two Irish brothers who allegedly duped a pensioner into paying more than $400,000 for home repairs he didn’t need have been charged by US prosecutors.
The brothers appeared before the District Court in Seattle on Monday accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud from an elderly man in Shoreline in Washington.
US authorities allege the duo, who are facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted, are part of a group that travels around the US targeting homeowners - particularly senior citizens - by claiming their house needs urgent repairs.
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In this particular case, the siblings approached the victim in January. They claimed they had been working in the neighbourhood and noticed a hole in the man’s roof. The pair offered to fix the hole and remove moss from the roof. The men pressured the victim to write several cheques of $15,000, $20,000, and $26,000.
The pair also claimed that the victim’s foundation was cracked, and they said they would repair that with a “titanium tie rod system”. It has since transpired that the roof had no hole and the foundation was not failing.
The brothers even dug trenches and poured some concrete to make it appear like work was being done - and each day they pressured the victim to part with more money. The brazen duo even demanded an extra $20,000 for “taxes”. They then made the victim wire $200,000 to a third party for building supplies. In all, the brothers stole $435,000 (approximately €400,000) from the victim.
U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman said: “This type of fraud on our elderly neighbours is heartbreaking. To pose as someone trying to help them, while all the while the goal is to steal as much as they can from the victim’s hard-earned retirement funds. It is a special kind of cruelty to engage in such conduct.”
The pair were arrested by U.S Customs and Border Protection in mid-June following a probe spearheaded by the FBI. Both had been detained in an immigration centre before they were transferred to the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac ahead of their court appearance.
The FBI have also connected the brothers to contractor fraud complaints in Washington County, Oregon, and Spokane - totaling about $50,000. The pair used fake photos of holes in the homeowner’s roof, or alleged problems with the house’s foundation, or posed as local reputable businesses in those cases.
Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, said: “Sadly, seniors are often an attractive target for fraudsters attempting to steal a lifetime of savings, and scammers are skilled at deceiving people. We encourage consumers to stay vigilant and avoid making quick decisions before doing research or getting to know someone.
“If you think you or someone you know could be a fraud victim, call your financial institution immediately and report suspected fraud to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.”
A spokesman for the US Department of Justice told The Irish Mirror/Star: "Both defendants appeared in court for their initial appearances on Friday, July 12.
"The Court set detention hearings (to determine whether the defendants should be detained or released on bond) for July 17, 2024. Both defendants are held in federal custody pending the outcome of those hearings. In addition, preliminary hearings were set for Friday, July 26."
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