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…
MANAGEMENT & CULTURE (THE “TONE AT THE TOP”)
Fraud thrives in “sloppy” environments where leadership ignores the rules.
- The Fraud Triangle: For fraud to occur, three elements must be present: Pressure (the need for money), Rationalization (thinking “I deserve this”), and Opportunity (weak controls). You can only control the Opportunity.
- Whistleblower Hotline: Provide an anonymous way for staff to report “odd behavior.” Most internal frauds are caught via tips, not audits.
- Background Checks: Conduct credit and criminal record checks for all employees in financial or data-sensitive roles.
- Annual Ethics Training: Make sure every staff member knows that the company has a Zero Tolerance policy toward “borrowing” from petty cash or fudging overtime.