Two Irish nationals have been charged in connection with a roofing scam that allegedly preyed upon elderly residents in Denver, Colorado.
John McNamara and Dean Morgan were both arrested in New York City shortly before they were scheduled to board a plane leaving the country, Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in a press release on May 29.
McNamara and Morgan have both been charged with four counts of theft and one count of racketeering in connection with what the DA's office called a "wide-ranging roofing scam."
FRAUD FRIDAY- SCAM ALERT
— Denver DA's Office (@DenverDAsOffice) May 31, 2024
Our office recently charged two men for running a roofing scam in Denver. Read the press release: https://t.co/sf9nrODts5
If you were victimized by them, please call our investigator David Dawson 720-913-9054. pic.twitter.com/h76BRGRPgU
McCann said both men were accused of being involved in an organized and fraudulent roofing scheme that targeted elderly residents in Denver. The offenses are alleged to have occurred between April 17 and mid-May of this year.
According to the charges, the victims were falsely told that their roofs required urgent attention because they were infested with insects, squirrels, or raccoons.
Morgan and McNamara allegedly defrauded the homeowners of large sums of money and, in several cases, left their roofs damaged.
Both men are under investigation for similar offenses in California, the DA's office said.
"Morgan and McNamara were arrested in New York City shortly before they were scheduled to board a plane leaving the country," the DA's office said.
"The arrests and subsequent charges were the result of a joint investigation by the DA’s Economic Crimes Unit, the DA’s Elder/At-Risk Unit and the Denver Police Department.
"Anyone who thinks they may have been victimized by Morgan and McNamara is asked to call David Dawson, an investigator with the DA’s Economic Crimes Unit, at 720-913-9054."
Elsewhere, Quincy Police said in January that law enforcement in Massachusetts had recently issued several advisories about suspected “Irish Traveler" schemes and encouraged victims to report this crime so that it can be investigated.
These scams, police said, usually start with an unsolicited visit to someone's home by a contractor stating they have "leftover materials" and the person keeps finding more items to repair on your property.
This type of crime is on the rise in Massachusetts, Quincy Police said in January, adding that the US Department of Homeland Security was notified and this matter remains under investigation by the Quincy Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
According to ICE's Fiscal Year 2023 report, 37 citizens of Ireland were removed from the US in 2023, an increase of 20 from 2022.
Comments