Man facing charges of money laundering, home repair fraud
An Elmhurst man remains in the Will County Adult Detention Center on $1 million bond and charges of money laundering, theft by deception, home repair fraud and other financial crimes.
Edmund Kavanaugh, 51, was the target of an eightmonth long financial crimes and home repair fraud investigationinvolving theWill County Sheriff ’ s Office, Elmhurst Police, Romeoville Police, Illinois Department of Revenue and the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. He appeared in bond court in Will County earlier this week and was appointed a public defender, according to court records.
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed, authorities said.
“Kavanaugh has been the subject of numerous complaints throughout the Chicagoland area by many agencies,” the Will County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release about Kavanaugh’s arrest.
Among the charges filed in Will County, Kavanaugh is accused of collecting paymentfor a 2019homerepair project in Romeoville but not completing thework. In that instance, payments were made to Kavanaugh’s company, Goliath Construction, totaling $21,800. Kavanaugh contracted with the homeowners to install a new roof, siding, windows, driveway and garage.
He faces two counts of home repair fraud, one count of theft by deception and one count of continuing financial crimes enterprise in connection with the Romeoville incident.
According to court documents, a previous court order enjoined Kavanaugh from“engaging in anyhome repair work” at the time of the alleged offense in Romeoville.
Will County Sheriff Deputy Chief Dan Jungles added that the sheriff’s office has received additional information about other people who fell victim to Kavanaugh’s home repair fraud schemes and are investigating those leads.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Jungles said.
A second 13-count complaint filed in Will County charges Kavanaugh with three counts of money laundering, five counts of continuing financial crimes enterprise, four counts of structuring and one count of theft by deception.
The complaint alleges that Kavanaugh purchased concrete from Wille Brothers, aMonee company, with bad checks.
The complaint also claimsKavanaughmadedeposits at a JPMorganChase in a way that eluded financial reporting by making the deposits in smaller amounts.
The complaint also charges Kavanaugh with money laundering alleging a scheme in which he allegedly made improvements to the property he lists as his address in Elmhurst with the proceeds from “home repair fraud, theft by deception and deceptive practices.” Jungles noted that Kavanaugh appears to rent the property in the 600 block of Washington Street in Elmhurst and that he made payments to the owner of record of the property.
Kavanaugh is scheduled to appear in court again on October 29.