While in Bellingham, man suspected of starting fraudulent foundation to help disabled vets
A man, who is believed to have started a fraudulent non-profit to build tiny homes for disabled veterans while he lived in Bellingham, was arrested late last month in Oregon after a months-long investigation into in his organization.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrested Tyrone Curtis Powell, 40, Feb. 26 on suspicion of first-degree aggravated theft by deception, first-degree identity theft (forgery), two counts of perjury, two counts of false swearing, first-degree criminal possession of forged instruments, unlawful possession of fictitious identification and fraudulently obtaining a signature, according to a news release, which added that additional charges may follow.
Bellingham Police had contact with both Powell and “John P. Hope” — an alias Powell is believed to have used — while he lived in Bellingham, Lt. Claudia Murphy told The Bellingham Herald, but she said those incidents were of the welfare check variety, rather than for criminal incidents.
“This guy was the real deal, though,” she said, “because we have him in our system as both Powell and Hope.”
In 2019, the Bellingham Police Department did receive a tip about possible fraudulent activity involving the Impossible Roads Foundation, Murphy said, but there was not enough information on which to act.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office had no reports of Powell or “Hope,” spokesperson Deb Slater told The Herald in an email.
But Bellingham officers did help Douglas County investigators in January when they came to Bellingham to interview multiple individuals who were familiar with Powell and knew him as “John Hope,” according to the release.
It was while Powell lived in Bellingham that he started the fraudulent non-profit, Impossible Roads Foundation, according to the release. Powell reportedly claimed to build tiny homes for disabled veterans and obtained large donations from large companies, such as Home Depot and Matson.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s investigators learned that the majority of the donated items were not utilized and abandoned, according to the release, but investigators also learned that most of the shipping containers that had been donated to be used as tiny home structures were instead sold to companies or individuals.
Douglas County investigators began investigating suspected fraudulent transactions of privately-own property to Powell’s Impossible Roads Foundation in late 2020, according to the release, after an elderly victim under the impression the foundation was legitimate agreed to donate approximately three acres of land. But Powell actually got 30.8 acres and a shop in the transaction.
After the transaction, Powell got restraining orders against the victim and filed criminal reports, accusing the victim of crimes, such as burglary and theft. Powell used the name “John Hope” in those reports and court documents, according to the release.
Investigators found Powell was raised in California, attended Yale University and lived in Arizona, where he first became involved in fraudulent activity, according to the release. During that time, Powell also is suspected of running other fraudulent non-profits under the names of “The Missing Piece Foundation,” “True Storm World,” “The Missing Piece Foundation Endowment,” “Machine Seven Super Car Tour” and “Love.”
While in Arizona in 2009, Powell was arrested after he allegedly altered the VIN on a vehicle he took a loan out on, then reported it stolen. He was involved in civil litigation for defrauding on loans, according to the release. In 2010, a newspaper ran an obituary for Powell and he left the area years later.
Powell then went to Alaska, before arriving in Bellingham, where he assumed the identity of “John Hope” and illegally obtained a Washington identification care and Social Security care under that fake name, according to the release.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office served search warrants Feb. 26 in Elkton and Cottage Grove, Oregon, and arrested Powell.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about Powell to email dcso.pio@co.douglas.or.us or call 541-957-2099.
