KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A Grand Island business owner has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud after admitting to defrauding customers across several states through his construction company.
According to court records, Bobby Bates Sr., owner of Built Rite Construction, accepted deposits for projects — including barndominiums and home renovations — but failed to start or complete the work. Between February and October of 2023, Bates took money from clients in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas, resulting in losses exceeding $700,000.
As part of a plea agreement, a second wire fraud charge was dropped, and Bates agreed to pay $703,016.96 in restitution. Federal documents indicate he accepted payment for 12 different projects, completing little to no work on most of them. In one instance, Bates was hired for tile work in Hastings, but what little was done was so poorly executed it had to be removed and redone, adding $2,500 to the restitution total.
Bates is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas.
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