Contractor sentenced to 10 years for felony theft in home remodeling fraud scheme
April 14, 2026 (DENVER) – A Denver District Court judge on Monday sentenced Avi Schwalb to 10 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections for carrying out an elaborate home remodeling contractor fraud scheme and stealing over $1.4 million from homeowners. In February, a jury found Schwalb guilty on all 47 felony charges of theft, money laundering, and violating the state’s organized crime law.
A statewide grand jury indicted Schwalb and his business partners in December 2024 (PDF), accusing them of soliciting home remodeling contracts, collecting customer deposits, and then failing to complete any work on the projects.
“Coloradans spend precious time and money to buy and remodel their homes. Homeowners place a lot of trust in contractors to complete the work they agreed to do on their home. In this case, the scope and impact of the defendant’s criminal acts was significant and devastating to many homeowners. The court imposed a serious sentence for his serious crimes, and I am glad we were able to bring justice for the victim homeowners,” said Attorney General Weiser.
The investigation into Schwalb began with looking into Schwalb Builders and Avi’s Remodeling and Contracting, affiliated companies that conducted general contracting services throughout the Denver area. During home remodeling work from July 2021 to December 2024, Schwalb often abandoned projects after starting demolition or performing faulty work on the homes, leaving the homes damaged and uninhabitable.
The investigation and prosecution were conducted by the Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit. The case was filed in Denver District Court. Other defendants are awaiting trial.
Coloradans who believe they might be the victim of contractor fraud can file a complaint with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and contact their local police department. For more information on how to detect and avoid becoming a victim of contractor fraud, visit StopFraudColorado.gov.
A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov