O’Brien and others are accused of defrauding property owners by convincing them to pay for home repairs that were not needed and often not completed. He is also accused of misrepresenting the qualifications of his purported construction business, Traditional Masonry & Construction, according to court documents.

O’Brien’s alleged scheme came to the attention of authorities when an 83-year-old Warwick homeowner contacted the Warwick Police Department to complain that he had been defrauded by a contractor.

The homeowner, identified as Victim 1 in court documents, reported that O’Brien told him that, while doing work in the neighborhood, he spotted cracks in the foundation of the man’s home, court documents state.

“O’Brien informed Victim 1 that he was from Ireland,” stated an affidavit in support of the arrest warrant. “Victim 1 stated that he felt a bond with O’Brien over their shared heritage, and that this bond caused Victim 1 to ‘trust’ O’Brien.”

The homeowner paid O’Brien $9,500 to repair the foundation, but as work proceeded, O’Brien allegedly claimed he found further damage and asked the homeowner for $80,000, according to court documents. The man was set to take out a line of credit when police intervened.

A home inspector hired by the US Attorney’s Office later reviewed the property and found no need for extensive foundation repairs.

Court documents say other alleged victims have described similar interactions with O’Brien that began with unsolicited recommendations for small home repairs, followed by claims that he’d discovered the need for major repairs.

The victims included four homeowners in Warwick, two in Providence, one in Pawtucket, and one in West Roxbury, Mass., according to an affidavit written by an East Providence police officer on a Homeland Security Investigations task force.

Investigators say they found hundreds of fliers in the Traditional Masonry & Construction truck identical to the ones handed to victims, and they found four binders containing quotes, contracts, and invoices dated between April 2024 and March 2025.

The contracts, ranging from $300 to $205,000, totaled $1,987,650, according to court documents.

Federal authorities said the alleged scheme, known as “traveling conman fraud,” is becoming increasingly common throughout the United States.

According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, conmen travelers are groups of residents of Ireland or the United Kingdom who enter the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstay their visits or, more commonly, enter the country illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work, according to court documents.

The conmen often hire day laborers. They lack work authorization documents and permits, and do low-quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work. And sometimes they damage homes, authorities said.

O’Brien appeared before US District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan on Thursday. Sullivan appointed an attorney to represent him, ordered him detained, and scheduled a status conference/preliminary hearing for April 11.

The US Attorney’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations recommend consumers take steps to avoid being defrauded:

• Be cautious with unsolicited solicitations from contractors who show up at your door saying they noticed a problem that needs to be fixed.
• Don’t fall victim to high pressure scare tactics. Proceed cautiously before you commit to work, and only after getting at least one second opinion and cost estimate.
• Before hiring any contractor for a large job, make sure they have a legitimate business address and consider going there to verify that the business exists.
• Verify that the contractor is licensed before agreeing to have any work started. In Rhode Island, go to the Contractors’ Registration and Licensing Board website. In Massachusetts, go to the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation website.
• Ensure the contractor obtains permits to do the work from your local city or town before work begins. Ask to see the permit and verify its authenticity with your city or town.
• Don’t leave new or unfamiliar contractors alone at your house – even if they’re working outside. They sometimes intentionally cause damage. Keep a close eye on work being done.
• If you or someone you know believes they’re victims of the traveling conman fraud scheme, contact Homeland Security Investigations via email at HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@hsi.dhs.gov.

Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.