Khaberni - Irish citizen John O'Brien, aged 28, was sentenced to 56 months in prison after his victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts exposed him as part of a mobile fraud scheme targeting them.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office explained that O'Brien convinced more than 100 victims that their homes required urgent repairs, requesting large sums of money to carry them out, exploiting their savings entirely without actually providing the services.
The fraudster relied on a friendly approach when dealing with the victims, while some noted he used intimidation tactics to force them to pay the money, including threats of house collapse if repairs were not made immediately, and sometimes he himself caused some of the damage.
According to court documents, O’Brien moved to the United States in the summer of 2021 in search of better financial opportunities but used fraud and exploitation of others to achieve his goals, as stated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor A. Dean.
The fraud was uncovered after an elderly man aged 83 from Warwick, Rhode Island, reported O'Brien to the police, after he demanded $9,500 for fictitious repairs before requesting an additional amount of $80,000, while a home inspection confirmed that the repairs were unnecessary.
The prosecutors confirmed that the total losses of the victims exceeded one million dollars, and that O'Brien used the money to finance a luxurious lifestyle, from luxury cars and expensive cosmetic treatments to a costly monthly entertainment program, in addition to exploiting daily laborers who do not speak English.
Upon his arrest, investigators found hundreds of flyers and contract notebooks and invoices from April 2024 to March 2025, valued between $300 and $205,000 per contract, totaling nearly $2 million.
O'Brien confessed to electronic fraud in December 2025 and expressed his deep regret in court, saying: «I have let down my wife and children and my family. I am not proud of what I was, but I am determined to improve myself».
Despite this, O'Brien received numerous support letters from his family and relatives, where his aunt pleaded for mercy as he had previously raised money to help the homeless in Dublin and Ethiopia, and his father stated he was religiously devoted and cared for his family, while Irish Senator Eileen Flynn described him as having a good and strong character.
His lawyer Todd Spodek said after the verdict was announced: «The severity level of the sentence was reduced by four grades, and a fair judgment was imposed that reflects the full picture of the case, not just numerical calculations».
It is noted that mobile fraud schemes are spreading in Europe, Australia, and Canada, and have recently moved to the New England area, targeting homeowners.
