A British national from Northern Ireland, Elijah Gavin, has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to participating in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme that generated more than one million dollars. He also pleaded guilty to using false information to enter the United States illegally, according to an announcement by Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Gavin, 29, to 48 months in prison. The sentence includes forfeiture of $4,885.57, a forfeiture money judgment of $1 million, restitution of $1,109,500, and $300 in special assessments related to the fraud case. In a separate immigration-related case, he received one day imprisonment and a $100 special assessment; both sentences will run concurrently. Gavin pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025, to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and making a false statement on a document used for entry into the United States.
According to court documents and his plea agreement:
Gavin operated under various names as he approached property owners in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. He misrepresented construction needs or repairs required on their properties.
He and his co-conspirators established multiple construction businesses with false claims about their experience and quality of work. They provided misleading information about their identities and skills as well as about the condition of clients’ properties.
Between October 2022 and January 2025 they defrauded property owners out of more than one million dollars—including an instance where a Rhode Island widow lost $850,000—and targeted other elderly victims across several states along with a church in New York.
Gavin sent checks representing these fraudulent proceeds to money launderers located in New York and California.
He is considered a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom who entered the U.S. illegally by submitting an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application containing materially false information regarding his criminal history.
The FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center describes "Conmen Travelers" as groups of Irish or U.K nationals who enter the country either overstaying visas or entering illegally before soliciting construction work across various cities. These individuals often quote low prices initially but later demand significantly higher payments while sometimes performing unnecessary or substandard work without proper permits or documentation.
Gavin was arrested in New Jersey on January 29, 2025 and has remained detained since then.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean following investigations conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative that brings together resources from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) aimed at addressing illegal immigration issues as well as combating transnational criminal organizations.
