A Denver District Court judge sentenced contractor Avi Schwalb to 10 years in state prison in April 2026 after a jury convicted him on 47 felony counts for running an extensive $1.4 million home renovation scheme across the Denver metropolitan area.
Schwalb operated through two corporate entities—Schwalb Builders and Avi’s Remodeling and Contracting—promising high-end residential overhauls, gut renovations, and structural expansions. Instead, prosecutors proved he systematically collected upfront deposits, initiated destructive teardowns, and walked away from unfinished job sites. Several homeowners were left with gutted, structurally compromised properties unfit for human habitation.
Between July 2021 and December 2024, Schwalb systematically lured clients into costly renovation agreements across Denver. Homeowners vacated living spaces, rented temporary accommodation, and wired tens of thousands of dollars in deposits. Schwalb's crews moved in, stripped walls down to framing, ripped out plumbing lines, and severed critical electrical wiring. Then work ceased.
Crews never returned. Homeowners faced exposed foundations, dangerous structural openings, and depleted life savings. With budgets exhausted, victims found it financially impossible to hire secondary licensed builders to rectify the wreckage or secure emergency occupancy permits. The financial wreckage topped $1.4 million.
The Colorado Attorney General’s Special Prosecutions Unit launched an extensive financial inquiry after mounting consumer complaints reached state investigators. In December 2024, a statewide grand jury returned a comprehensive indictment accusing Schwalb and affiliated business partners of pattern racketeering and consumer exploitation.
Schwalb fought the charges. The case moved to trial in Denver District Court in February 2026, where state prosecutors presented bank transactions, construction paper trails, and victim testimony. The jury convicted Schwalb on all 47 felony charges, finding him guilty of felony theft, money laundering, and violations of Colorado's organized crime statutes.
Presiding over sentencing in April 2026, the Denver District Court judge ordered Schwalb to serve a decade behind bars in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
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.
Phil Weiser, Colorado Attorney General
| Case Parameter | Judicial Record & Status |
|---|---|
| Convicted Defendant | Avi Schwalb |
| Operating Business Entities | Schwalb Builders, Avi's Remodeling and Contracting |
| Total Financial Losses | Exceeded $1.4 Million |
| Charges & Verdict | Convicted on all 47 felony counts (Theft, Money Laundering, Organized Crime) |
| Court Sentence | 10 Years (Colorado Department of Corrections) |
| Co-Defendant Status | Indicted; awaiting trial (Presumed innocent under law) |
While Schwalb begins his decade-long prison term, the wider criminal case remains active. Several business associates named in the December 2024 grand jury indictment are awaiting trial in Denver District Court, where they retain the statutory presumption of innocence until legal guilt is established. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office advised affected consumers to submit unresolved contractor complaints directly to state investigators through the Stop Fraud Colorado portal or local police departments.