EVERETT—Contractor Linda Kim Brown, 36, of Bellevue and Mill Creek, faces allegations of defrauding homeowners out of over half a million dollars and evading taxes, according to charges filed by the State of Washington and the Department of Revenue in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Brown, who also goes by the name of Linda Gardenhire, is charged with four counts of first-degree theft (each with a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a $20,000 fine) and one count of filing a false tax return (a maximum 5-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine).

According to court documents, Brown allegedly took substantial down payments from three homeowners in Edmonds, Bellevue, and Lynnwood for home remodeling projects between July 2021 and October 2023 but never began construction.
Brown arranged for engineering, drawings and permits on her customers’ projects, but failed to start construction on any of them. The homeowners suffered significant losses, ranging from $98,000 to $310,000, after accounting for preparatory services.
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) investigated complaints filed by the victims in 2023, leading to the suspension of Brown’s contractor registrations for KAIX Remodel LLC in May 2022 and for Aura Construction LLC and Probuilt LLC in April 2024 due to expired or canceled insurance policies.
“Dishonest contractors are stealing more than cash — they’re stealing the long-held dreams of homeowners,” said Steve Reinmuth, assistant director of L&I’s Quester’s Field Services and Public Safety.
L&I referred the case to the state Office of the Attorney General, which is prosecuting Brown, who has pleaded not guilty.
Her trial was originally set for August 22, 2025, in Snohomish County Superior Court but has been rescheduled for October 10, 2025.
One victim, a Lynnwood homeowner, signed a $662,400 contract with Brown in March 2022 for a major home renovation, paying a deposit of $325,824. The project, which included moving a kitchen and adding a second-story addition, was to be completed by September 2022. However, “Brown repeatedly delayed the start of construction, telling the homeowner she needed to be patient,” and by February 2023, the homeowner sought a refund, only to receive no further communication from Brown, a pattern echoed by at least three other victims.
Brown also faces charges of tax evasion for allegedly failing to report $1.5 million in business income and withholding $72,400 in retail sales tax collected from customers.
Charging papers state that “an AGO investigator found bank, customer and other records showing she actually deposited over $1.5 million into her business accounts” during the period she claimed no income.
To prevent such incidents, L&I advises homeowners to obtain three written bids, verify contractor registration, and pay suppliers directly for materials. Resources are available at ProtectMyHome.net.

Author: Mario Lotmore
One Response
License, bonded and insured plus history of completed projects and previous client referrals are more important than the three or more bid system.