Two Men Charged in Multi-State Home Repair Fraud Scheme
Federal prosecutors have charged two men with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection to an alleged multi-state construction fraud scheme that targeted at least 24 victims, including elderly individuals.
According to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, James Dinnigan, also known as “Charlie Ward,” and Martin Maughan, also known as “Lawrence Rogers,” are accused of operating a fraudulent home repair business that deceived homeowners into paying for unnecessary and, in some cases, deliberately caused property damage.
Dinnigan is currently in federal immigration custody and is expected to be transferred to New York for prosecution. Maughan, previously detained in state custody, was moved to federal custody and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky on Tuesday.
Court documents allege that between October 2023 and February 2025, Dinnigan and Maughan participated in a scheme spanning New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and other states. The scheme allegedly involved foreign nationals from Ireland and the United Kingdom posing as licensed home repair contractors.
Authorities claim the defendants and their co-conspirators falsely represented themselves as legitimate professionals, persuading homeowners to hire them for repairs. Once employed, they allegedly convinced victims to pay for additional work that was unnecessary, often by intentionally damaging property. In some cases, homeowners were reportedly pressured or threatened into making payments.
Federal investigators say victims made payments through checks and wire transfers to accounts controlled by the accused individuals. The operation was linked to two businesses—Local Masonry and Construction and Pine Valley Home Improvements, Inc.—which allegedly operated deceptive websites to attract customers.
The FBI has identified over two dozen victims who collectively lost at least $1 million due to the scheme. Authorities say many of those affected were elderly.
Dinnigan, 27, originally entered the U.S. on a tourist visa in April 2023 but allegedly remained in the country beyond the permitted timeframe. He was reportedly detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Champlain, New York, last month.
Maughan, 31, was previously ordered removed from the U.S. in October 2023 after being encountered by border officials in Texas. He was later arrested in February 2025 at Boston Logan International Airport before boarding a flight to Ireland.
Both men face one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Authorities urge anyone with information related to the case or who may have been a victim of the alleged scheme to contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
Federal officials emphasized that the charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.