Elijah Gavin, an Irish fugitive who escaped from prison in 2022, is now facing charges in the US for allegedly defrauding an elderly woman and participating in an international organized crime ring.
An Irishman wanted for skipping prison has been accused of swindling an elderly woman out of $850,000 (€812,000) as part of an international organized crime ring operating in the US. Elijah Gavin disappeared from HMP Prison Magilligan in Derry while on temporary compassionate release in 2022. He has now resurfaced in the US and is scheduled to appear before a federal grand jury in Rhode Island next week.
The 29-year-old, also known as Timothy O’Reilly, faces charges of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering. He is accused of associating with the so-called Traveling Conmen Fraud Group (Conmen Travelers), a group recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terrorist Screen Center as a Transnational Organized Crime group. According to the FBI, these Conmen Travelers are typically Irish or UK nationals who illegally enter the US to solicit construction work. Members often provide low initial quotes for construction projects, then demand significantly more money or convince homeowners that their properties require extensive, unnecessary repairs. Gavin was arrested on January 29th, as he and his co-conspirators are alleged to have defrauded homeowners of over $1 million in Rhode Island.One of the victims is a 78-year-old woman who handed over $850,000 for purported foundation basement repairs that were unnecessary. The woman identified one of the workers as 'Timothy Kelly' after seeing a photo of Gavin published by the Belfast Newsletter following his escape from HMP Prison Magilligan. It is alleged that the money collected through this scheme was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Gavin and his co-conspirators or transferred to individuals who laundered the fraudulently obtained funds. Investigators linked Gavin to a bank account using footage from an ATM. Gavin flew to the US from Dublin in October 2022, while on temporary compassionate release from prison in Northern Ireland, where he was facing charges for attempting to deceive an elderly woman out of £40,000 (€48,000). In an affidavit, special agent Jodie L Donaghy stated: 'Gavin and others known and unknown (collectively 'the Targets'), defrauded property owners in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island by fraudulently inducing them to hire the Targets to conduct building repairs that were not needed and were not performed. 'The Targets’ scheme, which is becoming increasingly common throughout the United States, has come to be known as Traveling Conmen Fraud Group. As part of the scheme, Gavin and those working with him misrepresented their identities, the qualifications of their supposed construction businesses, the necessity of the services offered, and the work performed. In total, the Targets defrauded property owners of over $900,000 between March 2023 and May 2024.' In a statement, the US Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island said: 'Gavin has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in New Jersey on January 29, 2025. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment in US District Court in Providence on March 10, 2025. A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 'The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean. 'The matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service.
Ireland Prison Escape Fraud Elderly Woman Organized Crime US Authorities International Crime Traveling Conmen Fraud Group
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