New Hampshire contractor sentenced to up to 30 years for theft to support gambling activity

A New Hampshire contractor, 54-year-old Gerald Thibault, has been sentenced to up to 30 years for theft of funds to use in gambling activity.

Thibault was sentenced on January 20 by the Rockingham County Superior Court to between 10 and 30 years in the New Hampshire State Prison, after pleading guilty to 23 counts of Class A Felony Theft by Unauthorized Taking. The thefts took place across Rockingham and Strafford County, with Thibault using his position as the owner of Thibault’s Handyman & Renovation Service, LLC and TR-Roofing LLC to take advance payments for work he never completed.

An investigation found that Thibault stole over $1.5 million from 23 victims in advance payments for his renovation businesses, only to never go on to fulfil the work contracts he agreed to. Thibault went on to use the money taken from would-be customers to gamble, often shortly after receiving them. He also solicited such payments while actively gambling.

On eleven of the theft charges, Thibault was sentenced to between 7.5 and 15 years, with 2.5 years suspended from the minimum term for 20 years after he is released from prison. The remaining twelve theft charges gave Thibault a further sentence of between 7.5 and 15 years, once again with 2.5 years suspended from the minimum term for 20 years after he is released from prison. Those sentences are to be served consecutively, leading to a total time served of up to 30 years.

Further reparations for the thefts required

As well as the prison time, Thibault has been ordered to repay all 23 victims in full, for a total amount of $1,532,961.54. He is banned from gambling until this sum has been returned, and is not allowed to accept advance payments for goods and services or to contact the victims.

Stratham contractor stole millions, gets 10-30 years. Victims speak. https://t.co/L5NFKSej7z

— Seacoastonline.com (@seacoastonline) January 17, 2026

Stealing to fund gambling activity is far from a rare crime, with another person in Texas accused of stealing $680,000 from a former employer to solve out-of-control gambling debts.

Featured image: WMUR-TV

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