United States of America v. Bobby Bates Sr.

Kansas City, Kansas, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with fraud.

Bobby Bates Sr., 43, of Grand Island, Nebraska, from February 2023 to October 2023, was the owner of Built Rite Construction, used a social media group called “Building Barndominiums” to solicit clients for construction projects. Bates required customers to provide initial deposits of up to 50 percent of the estimated overall construction cost. He instructed customers to pay via wire or checks into his bank accounts. After collecting funds, Bates either failed to complete construction or never began construction. As victims contacted him, he gave false excuses and promises or did not respond to messages about uncompleted projects.

Bank records show Bates used payments from customers for personal expenditures instead of for the respective construction projects. A federal judge ordered Bates to pay restitution of $703,016 to more than ten victims located in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Alabama, Illinois, and South Dakota.

“Anyone who has done a construction project understands that there is a level trust required with a contractor, particularly when there are upfront payments. Fraud like this damages an entire industry because consumers fear being swindled by con artists like Bobby Bates,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Here, the victims handed over their hard-earned money to someone they thought they could trust. We hope victims take solace in that Mr. Bates is not only going to prison but also ordered to pay back every dime he stole from them. The Financial Litigation Program with my office is standing by to do everything possible to make good on this court ordered restitution amount.”

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask prosecuted the case.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 87 months in prison and was ordered to more than $700,000 in restitution to victims.