Russell and Linda Callahan hustled out of Westborough District Court on Thursday morning, dodging NBC10 Boston's cameras and ignoring our questions as they hopped into an Uber.
The couple had just appeared before a judge on multiple criminal charges of larceny, forgery and fraud.
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Meantime, about 10 minutes down the road, constable Allan Gordon knocked on the door and began eviction proceedings at the Callahans' latest unwanted extended stay.
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There was no need for the moving truck waiting outside. Gordon found the inside of the unit completely cleaned out, almost as if professionals had been there.
"Who gets into the mentality of somebody who would do something like this?" Gordon wondered. "Most of the people in society pay the bills and do the right thing. But then you have people who do just what they have to do to get away with it."
Our NBC10 Boston investigation showed how the Callahans are a unique brand of professionals. For more years, they have made a living by scamming property owners.
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Over the past two decades in Massachusetts — and a short stint in Florida — our investigation discovered the Callahans have been evicted more than 20 times and have judgements for unpaid rent surpassing $100,000.
Victims we spoke with include a single mom, a couple saving to have their first child, and a veteran who was overseas on his first deployment with the Navy.
Our investigation also found the legal system repeatedly brushed aside the alleged crimes as "housing court matters."
The pending charges in Westborough District Court stem from our reporting about what allegedly happened to Sitanshu Sinha and his wife, Shilpi Gupta. The Shrewsbury couple rented to their home to the Callahans in late 2023 when they showed up with a stack of fake paperwork like credit reports, background checks and pay stubs.
To avoid detection, the couple — known in housing circles as "professional tenants" — listed their name as "O'Callagham" on the documents.
Once the rent checks bounced, Sinha and Gupta drained $30,000 on evictions proceedings and moving expenses to get the Callahans out of their property. The savings had been meant for their kids' college funds.
"It was financially very stressful for us," Gupta said. "[The Callahans] know how to get away with it."
We finally found the Callahans last summer and confronted them with the allegations outside the residential complex in Westborough.
Housing court records show the couple racked up more than $12,000 in unpaid rent before Thursday's eviction.
Inside the courtroom, Worcester County prosecutor Maureen McNally told the judge that the case remains under investigation and detectives are awaiting records that should arrive soon.
McNally said the DA's office is considering presenting the case to a grand jury for criminal indictment. For the moment, the Callahans next court date is scheduled for April 25.
From the courthouse, the Uber took the Callahans along Route 9 and eventually dropped them off at a hotel in Worcester.
With the legal system finally catching up, NBC10 Boston asked one last time why the couple chooses not to pay for housing.
Linda Callahan shouted an expletive, while Russell closed the door to the hotel entrance.
Gordon, the constable who previously served as Westborough's police chief until retirement, weighed in on the couple's pattern of behavior.
"This has been going on for so long, it's almost a criminal enterprise," Gordon said. "They need to pay the price for what they've done."
