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Sacramento County DA Charges Anchored Tiny Homes Co-Founders with Construction Fraud
By Drooid · · How we work
Felony Charges Filed Against the Paulhus Brothers
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office has filed a criminal complaint alleging that brothers Austin James Paulhus and Colton Scott Paulhus, co-founders of the now-defunct company Anchored Tiny Homes, conspired to misappropriate construction funds. The complaint lists 35 felony counts and asserts that the brothers billed customers for more than $1 million across 13 separate accessory dwelling unit (ADU) projects while providing no labor or materials. Prosecutors say the company shut down abruptly, leaving multiple homeowners without the promised structures.
Alleged Fraud Mechanics
According to the filing, the Paulhus brothers received payments in multiple installments for each ADU contract. The sudden closure occurred less than two and a half weeks after the last invoice was issued to at least one customer, indicating a rapid cessation of operations.
Victims’ Experiences
- Renee Kumamoto hired Anchored Tiny Homes in September 2024 to build an ADU for her father’s care. She paid $168,000 and was left without a completed unit when the company ceased operations. “Within the time that I sent my last invoice to when they shut down was less than two and a half weeks. This is crazy,” — Renee Kumamoto
- Katie Lucas paid $211,000 for a similar project and reports that the work remains unfinished, describing the situation as “heartbreaking” and “helpless.” “It's so heartbreaking and it makes you feel really helpless,” — Katie Lucas
Official Response from the District Attorney’s Office
The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office stated that the complaint reflects a pattern of deceptive billing and failure to deliver contracted ADU construction. Prosecutors emphasized that the charges aim to hold the Paulhus brothers accountable and to deter similar fraudulent schemes in California’s booming ADU market.