Rhode Island Widow Bilked Out Of $850K By British Conman Traveler: Feds

A conman traveler from Northern Ireland bilked a Rhode Island widow out of $850,000, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Elijah Gavin, 29, who was illegally in the United States, was sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution, according to a media release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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Gavin pleaded guilty in June to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and making a false statement in a document used to gain entry into the United States, the release said.

According to the release, in pleading guilty, Gavin admitted to:

• Using various names when he approached and defrauded property owners in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York by, among other things, misrepresenting to property owners’ construction needs or repairs required on their properties.
• Forming multiple construction businesses and falsely representing the businesses’ status, experience and quality of work, falsely representing their identities and skills to homeowners, and making 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.
• Defrauding property owners of over one million dollars, including a Rhode Island widow who was defrauded of $850,000, as well as other elderly victims in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and a church in New York.
• Sending checks to money launderers in New York and California representing funds that were fraudulently obtained from his victims.

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On top of all that, Gavin is a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom who entered the United States illegally, according to the release.

"Gavin used a false Electronic System for Travel Authorization application to gain entry into the United States without a visa," the release said. "Gavin’s ESTA application contained materially false information with respect to Gavin’s criminal history in the United Kingdom."

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The release cited the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, saying conman 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."

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"Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work," the release said. "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 need 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."

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