Rhode Island

Irish ‘traveling conman’ charged in $2m home repair scam in R.I., Mass. – The Boston Globe

Published

1 year ago

April 4, 2025

Irish ‘traveling conman’ charged in m home repair scam in R.I., Mass. – The Boston Globe

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.

Precautions recommended to consumers:

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.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Mega Millions, Numbers Midday winning numbers for May 1, 2026

Published

50 minutes ago

May 2, 2026

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 1, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 1 drawing

16-21-27-41-61, Mega Ball: 24

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from May 1 drawing

Midday: 5-4-5-8

Evening: 5-1-7-5

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from May 1 drawing

08-09-17-31-33, Extra: 15

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 1 drawing

17-24-26-28-55, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Millionaire for Life top prize of $1,000,000 a year for life and second prize of $100,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Rhode Island

Real Housewives of Rhode Island midseason preview gets even juicier

Published

13 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Press Room

Real Housewives of Rhode Island midseason preview gets even juicier

On Friday, May 1, Bravo posted a mid-season preview to YouTube, giving fans a glimpse at the drama still to come during the franchise’s first season in the Ocean State.

Enjoying “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” so far? Buckle up – it’s about to get even juicier.

On Friday, May 1, Bravo posted a mid-season preview to YouTube, giving fans a glimpse at the drama still to come during the franchise’s first season in the Ocean State. As expected, the season will continue to follow major developing plotlines, including the fallout from Rulla Pontarelli’s reported husband’s affair and the strained relationship between Rosie DiMare and Kelsey Swanson.

However, the trailer also hints that the season will take some unexpected twists and turns, with new arguments rising between friendly cast members and personal issues coming to a head for many of the women.

Here’s a sneak peek at the rest of Season 1 of “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.”

What happened in ‘The Real Housewives of Rhode Island’ mid-season preview?

According to the mid-season preview, the rest of “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” Season 1 will include many more fights between the cast members. Swanson and DiMare’s screaming matches will continue, with the trailer showing DiMare telling Swanson “Everyone in f***ing Rhode Island knows you f*** married men.”

Surprisingly, disagreements will also rise between LizMcGraw and Alicia Carmody, as well as McGraw and Jo-Ellen Tiberi. McGraw is shown telling Tiberi to get out of her face, with Tiberi storming after her yelling “what did I do?”

Meanwhile, Ashley Iaconetti will continue to struggle under the financial and emotional burden of Audrey’s, with her and husband Jared Haibon discussing their decision to renew the lease or not. After her breakup, Swanson will have to decide if her new man is worth giving up her financial comfort, while Tiberi will finally have a tough conversation with her mother.

As for Pontarelli, it seems that Tiberi will make good on her episode five promise of finding concrete proof of Brian Pontarelli’s reported affair, with multiple housewives discussing video proof in the trailer. After Pontarelli reveals to the group that Brian was arrested for tracking her, the trailer ends with the question looming over everyone’s heads: “Rulla, what are you gonna do?”.

How to watch ‘The Real Housewives of Rhode Island’

Want to see how all the drama unfolds? “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” will air every Sunday at 9 p.m. on Bravo.

Watch ‘The Real Housewives of Rhode Island’ on Peacock

Episodes will be available for next-day streaming each Monday on Peacock.

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Rhode Island

Person wearing KKK robes in R.I. was pulling a social media stunt, police say

Published

1 day ago

May 1, 2026

Press Room

Person wearing KKK robes in R.I. was pulling a social media stunt, police say

Local News

A West Warwick resident captured video of the white-robed figure wandering around town early Monday morning.

Police in Rhode Island say they’ve confirmed that videos of a person walking around a town in a Ku Klux Klan robe and hood were part of a hoax for social media, not the work of an organized group.

Social media videos appeared to show the person walking around West Warwick while dressed in white robes and a pointed hood. The incident happened on Main Street at around 2 a.m. Monday, according to West Warwick police.

Detectives have since learned that the event was a stunt orchestrated by two brothers “to generate attention on social media and in the news,” police said on Facebook. The perpetrators admitted their involvement to police and “provided conclusive evidence” that they were the only ones responsible for the hoax.

The individuals “explicitly denounced” affiliation with hate groups, and police said that the investigation has yielded “no evidence to suggest otherwise.” For now, the investigation has been closed.

“The West Warwick Police Department would like to thank members of the community who came forward with information,” police said. “Thorough investigations such as this often rely on community involvement, and we appreciate the public’s cooperation and assistance.”

Video captured by Ryan Fitzgerald showed the hooded figure wandering around the Arctic Gazebo before heading down the street. Fitzgerald told The Boston Globe that he thought the person was “just messing around” but noted that it was indicative of broader issues.

“There’s a lot of undisclosed racism that goes on here. I hear about it all the time,” Fitzgerald told the Globe. “So it wouldn’t be shocking to me if it wasn’t a prank, and it wasn’t a hoax, and it was really somebody that really was about that kind of life.”