Attorney General Hanaway Secures $191,000 in Restitution in Maries County Contractor Fraud Case
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced that Gene M. Matlock, owner of Matlock Construction, pled guilty to defrauding Missouri consumers through his residential contracting business.
“Families place their trust and their savings into the hands of contractors. They shouldn’t have to worry about being deceived,” said Attorney General Hanaway. “Every Missourian deserves honest work in exchange for hard‑earned dollars. We are committed to rooting out contractor fraud, protecting consumers, and securing restitution for those who’ve been harmed.”
On August 17, 2026, Matlock pled guilty to one felony count of deceptive business practices and one felony count of stealing. According to the investigation, Matlock solicited large, upfront payments from consumers for home‑construction and contracting services. After receiving payment, he either performed negligible work before abandoning the projects or failed to complete any work or deliver any materials, leaving customers without the services they paid for and facing significant financial losses.
As part of his guilty plea, Matlock was sentenced to four years in prison on the deceptive business practices conviction and five years on the stealing conviction. The Court also ordered him to pay $191,975 in restitution to victims. This restitution amount includes every victim identified by the Attorney General’s Office, not only those named in the criminal case. Matlock was additionally placed on a five‑year term of supervised probation.
Attorney General Hanaway urges Missourians who believe they have been scammed or encountered a deceptive contractor to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office. Missourians may contact the Consumer Protection hotline at 800‑392‑8222 or submit a complaint online at ago.mo.gov.
Just as the Consumer Protection Section exemplifies the Attorney General’s Office’s commitment to safeguarding Missourians, the office is proud to be home to some of the state’s most skilled consumer-protection attorneys and investigators. Individuals interested in joining this tradition of excellence and public service are encouraged to explore current opportunities at https://ago.mo.gov/about-us/job-opportunities/.
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