Pair of Irish nationals plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud

Press Release

Brothers posed as home repair contractors defrauding elderly homeowners in the Northwest and Illinois

Seattle - Two individuals from Ireland pleaded guilty this week in U.S. District Court in Seattle to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their theft of more than $400,000 from a Shoreline, Washington, homeowner, and other victims across the country. Patrick McDonagh and Matthew McDonagh were arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in mid-June and were charged federally in mid-July. They are scheduled for sentencing in front of U.S. District Judge John H. Chun on November 25, 2024.

According to records filed in the case, the brothers were part of a group that traveled the country scamming homeowners - especially the elderly - by falsely representing a home needed urgent repairs. One older homeowner in the Shoreline neighborhood north of Seattle, lost about $435,000 to the scheme.

The men first approached the victim in January 2024, claimed they were working in the neighborhood and had noticed that the victim had a hole in his roof. The men offered to fix the hole and remove the moss from the roof. Over the course of a few days, they pressured the victim to write them checks for their "services" of $15,000, $20,000, and $26,000. They also claimed that the victim's foundation was cracked, and they said they would repair that with a "titanium tie rod system."

The roof had no hole, and the foundation was not failing. However, the men dug trenches and poured some concrete to make it appear work was done, and each day they pressured the victim to write more checks. They even demanded an extra $20,000 for "taxes." Ultimately, they demanded the victim wire $200,000 to a third party for building supplies - again far in excess of any work they claimed to have done. In all the brothers stole $435,000 from the victim. Quick work by a Shoreline Detective and the King County Prosecutor's Office resulted in the recovery of some of the wired funds.

The FBI investigation connected the brothers to contractor fraud complaints in Oregon and Illinois. In Oregon, Patrick McDonagh represented to three different victims that he was affiliated with a local legitimate construction firm, when in fact he was not. Those homeowners paid as much as $29,000 for foundation work that was never completed as promised. In Illinois, Matthew McDonagh claimed he would repave a victim's driveway and rebuild a retaining wall for $99,000. After the victim paid $75,000, the work was poorly done and damaged the victim's house. The value of any work done was significantly less than what was paid.

The defendants have agreed to make restitution to the victims in the case. This includes $235,000 to the Shoreline victim, nearly $50,000 to the three victims in Oregon, $75,000 to a victim in Illinois, and more than $673,000 to a victim in Bellevue, Washington.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend 26 months in prison for each defendant. Judge Chun is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.

The FBI is investigating this case and was assisted by the Shoreline Police Department, and the U.S. Border Patrol's Blaine and Spokane Sector's Anti-Smuggling Units (ASU).

The FBI reminds the public of red flags for contractor fraud:

• The contractor knocks on your door looking for business because they are "in the area" and uses aggressive sales tactics.

• The contractor pressures you for an immediate hiring decision.

• The contractor accepts only cash as payment and demands full payment before starting any work.

• In the sales pitch, the contractor claims to have materials left over from a previous job.

Tips to avoid contractor fraud:

• Always get multiple estimates for any work you want done.

• Ensure contractors are licensed and insured. Look them up at Washington State's Department of Labor & Industries website at https://secure.lni.wa.gov/verify/

• Check with consumer protection agencies such as the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission to search for complaints against a contractor.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Watts Staniar. Ms. Staniar serves as the Criminal Elder Fraud Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington.

To learn more about the department's elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.

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Updated September 6, 2024