Irish and UK nationals James Dinnigan and Martin Maughan have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a construction fraud scheme targeting vulnerable homeowners across multiple states. The charges were announced by Matthew Podolsky, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's New York Field Office.
The alleged scheme involved posing as legitimate home repair contractors to deceive at least 24 victims into paying for unnecessary repairs. Many victims were elderly or otherwise vulnerable individuals. According to Podolsky, "As alleged, these defendants and their co-conspirators carried out a brazen scheme to defraud vulnerable members of our community."
Backschies stated that Dinnigan and Maughan "allegedly enticed prospective consumers with illegitimate home improvement advertisements before intentionally destroying their property." The FBI has identified more than two dozen victims who lost at least $1 million due to this scheme.
The complaint details that between October 2023 and February 2025, Dinnigan and Maughan operated across several states including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Participants were typically foreign nationals from Ireland and the UK who posed as contractors or engineers.
Victims were deceived into hiring them through false claims about necessary home improvements. After being hired, the perpetrators would damage property intentionally to extort additional payments. Victims transferred money via checks or bank accounts controlled by the scheme's members.
Dinnigan entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in April 2023 but failed to leave as required. He was found by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Champlain, New York in February 2025. Maughan was encountered by CBP officers near Laredo, Texas in August 2023 and ordered removed from the U.S., but was arrested again at Boston Logan International Airport in February 2025 while attempting to fly to Dublin.
Both men face one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud with a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon D. Harper with assistance from paralegal specialist William A. Coleman IV.
Podolsky praised the investigative work of various law enforcement agencies including the FBI’s New York and Philadelphia field offices, CBP, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Lower Merion Police Department, Cheltenham Police Department, Bernards Township Police Department, and Lambertville Police Department.
The public is encouraged to contact the FBI if they have information related to this case or believe they may be victims.
