Pierce County contractor accused of $1M+ scam; victims win in court
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- L&I suspended Nash’s registration on April 23 and announced it June 24.
- Four default judgments totaled $413,204 against Nash.
- Nash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 11.
Almost a month ago, The News Tribune reported that a Bonney Lake contractor had his registration suspended after allegedly scamming more than $1 million out of dozens of victims.
Now, state regulators have issued a public warning about his business and revealed a new financial judgment against him.
In a news release sent Wednesday, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) said it suspended the registration of Zakary Nash, the head of Construction Kings, a construction firm based in Bonney Lake.
L&I suspended Nash’s registration on April 23, according to its website, and The News Tribune first reported his registration being suspended on May 29. Matt Ross, spokesperson for L&I, told The News Tribune the agency officially announced the suspension in a news release on June 24 because workers have been busy dealing with the Longview paper mill explosion, which happened on May 26.
In the release, L&I said a Pierce County family won $80,000 against Construction Kings, calling it a “breakthrough.”
Ross told The News Tribune the family’s victory was one of the steps required for L&I to suspend Nash’s registration.
The News Tribune asked Ross for more information on the family’s case but did not receive that information by deadline.
Nash previously referred The News Tribune to his lawyer for any comments. A reporter’s efforts to reach that attorney were not immediately successful Wednesday.
Where do things stand now?
According to court documents in Pierce County Superior Court, four victims have won cases against Nash this month. All the default judgments have 12% interest per year.
- June 11: One couple won $64,373 against Nash.
- June 11: A second couple won $107,573 against Nash.
- June 11: A third couple won $158,947 against Nash.
- June 16: A fourth couple won $82,311 against Nash.
In all four of these cases, documents say Nash was summoned to court but failed to show up.
The News Tribune previously reported that L&I had forwarded the case to law enforcement agencies in Pierce, Thurston, King and Kitsap counties, as well as the state Attorney General’s Office for “potential prosecution for criminal fraud.”
The Bonney Lake Police Department also opened a criminal investigation after a victim contacted the department in March, detective Tobie Johnston previously told The News Tribune. She found evidence that Nash intended to defraud the victim and forwarded the case to the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for review.
Adam Faber, spokesperson for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, previously told The News Tribune it has given the Washington State Attorney General’s Office “concurrent jurisdiction” on the case. That means that both agencies have the power to investigate it, but Faber said the state would be handling the case from here on out.
“The allegations about this company cross county lines, so this is a case that makes sense for the AGO to take,” Faber wrote in an email to The News Tribune on May 28. “It will be handled by the Criminal Litigation Unit of the AGO’s Criminal Justice Division.”
In its June 24 release, L&I said Construction Kings had four electrical citations from April 2 in Sumner.
“The citations include failing to get a work permit and failure to properly supervise an electrical trainee,” the release said. “The company also owes about $30,000 for workers’ compensation coverage for their employees. That amount covers the last three quarters of 2025.”
Under state law, contractors must be registered. If a registration is suspended, it is illegal to advertise, bid or perform work as a contractor. Contractors can be charged with a gross misdemeanor for each day they work while suspended.
L&I also said Construction Kings’ $30,000 bond was canceled on May 9, and its $1 million insurance policy also expired in May.
“Under law, registered contractors are required to have a bond and insurance,” L&I wrote.
Nash filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on May 11. Chapter 7 bankruptcy allows a trustee — an impartial person appointed by the court — to sell the debtor’s assets and use the funds to pay the people who are owed money.
According to court documents, Nash has $50,000 to $100,000 in assets and owes money to roughly 100 to 199 people. He checked a box that said that after administrative expenses, no funds would be available for unsecured creditors.
How did Nash allegedly scam his victims?
In an email on May 22, Ross said L&I has received over 40 claims against Nash, totaling more than $1.1 million. Jason Hesse — a Snohomish resident who has spearheaded an effort to compile a list of alleged victims — previously told The News Tribune he compiled a list of 144 potential victims and had spoken to 75 of them, with the combined loss estimated at $2.88 million.
Hesse previously told The News Tribune he has noticed two patterns: Nash would ask customers for a 50% deposit and then either never show up again or have workers start and then abandon the job.
Subcontractors have also been scammed by Nash, Hesse said, by being hired for jobs and then not being paid for materials or for jobs they had finished.
Brittany Gunderson, a Bonney Lake resident, previously told The News Tribune she paid Nash just under $50,000 in deposits to build a ramp for her brother-in-law who uses a wheelchair. The money came from her brother-in-law’s trust fund. Gunderson said Construction Kings started framing and then abandoned the project, leaving her with a $50,000 loss and a brother-in-law who still can’t get in the door.
Contractors have since volunteered to build the ramp for free, Gunderson previously told The News Tribune, but she and her husband would still need to buy about $25,000 in materials.
“That will be very impactful for us financially,” Gunderson said. “I don’t know if we’re going to have to take out a loan … because I’m certainly not going to take any more from [Travis].”
According to L&I, Construction Kings began business in June 2022.
News Tribune archives contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Pierce County contractor accused of $1M+ scam; victims win in court."
