A British national, illegally residing in the United States, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Rhode Island. Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom announced that Elijah Gavin, also known as Timothy O’Reilly and Elijah Thomas, faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Gavin is linked to the Traveling Conmen Fraud Group (Conmen Travelers), recognized by the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center as a Transnational Organized Crime group. This group comprises Irish or U.K. nationals who enter the U.S. on tourist visas or illegally and engage in fraudulent construction schemes across multiple states.
Gavin and his associates allegedly defrauded property owners in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York of over one million dollars. They misrepresented their identities and qualifications while convincing homeowners of unnecessary repairs. The scheme involved forming multiple construction businesses under false pretenses and collecting funds for incomplete or non-existent work.
The indictment highlights a case involving a 78-year-old woman from Rhode Island who was deceived into paying over $850,000 for unneeded repairs. Funds obtained through these fraudulent activities were laundered through bank accounts controlled by co-conspirators.
Gavin has been detained since his arrest in New Jersey on January 29, 2025. He is scheduled for arraignment in U.S. District Court in Providence on March 10, 2025. It is important to note that an indictment is merely an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean are prosecuting the case with investigations conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service.
