A Colorado man who promised to build saunas, sheds, and other backyard structures is under fire after abandoning multiple projects, leaving customers out thousands of dollars and scrambling to finish the work themselves.
What started as excitement quickly turned into frustration for Caitlin, a new mom in Englewood. “We were excited we could get a sauna and be enjoying it in four days,” she said. But that sauna never arrived.
In southern Colorado, Robert and Krista Prothero, a disabled veteran and his wife, had similar hopes of building a retreat for caregivers. “I can’t do this stuff no more, that’s why we hired it out,” Robert said.
Reid, a property owner in Broomfield, was told the builder had years of experience. And in Woodland Park, Justine hoped to buy two sheds and a playhouse for her granddaughter.
None of those projects were completed — all linked to the same person: Matthew Robert Sowash, who at times went by “Matthew Robert” to mask his identity.
Sowash has a history of legal trouble. He previously pleaded guilty to felony theft for selling shares in a poker tournament without a securities license. He was even the target of a bizarre murder-for-hire plot involving rattlesnakes by an angry investor.
He later claimed prison changed his life and launched a company called Holy Ground Tiny Homes, which filed for bankruptcy in 2022. Court records revealed Sowash owed nearly $6 million to about 200 customers while spending lavishly in Las Vegas and buying motorcycles and race cars. Although not criminally charged, a judge found him guilty of civil theft. He claimed that ruling forced him to liquidate the company in 2024.
That same year, Sowash started Better Sheds & Saunas. Less than a year later, customers were once again left in the lurch.
On April 18, customers received an email downplaying concerns and assuring them everything was fine. Just one week later, on April 25, another email announced the company was closing due to “slumping sales, lack of skilled labor, and refund requests.” Sowash said he would file for bankruptcy and advised customers to dispute charges with their credit card companies.
That worked for some — but not for everyone. The Protheros, who used a debit card, are still fighting with their bank for a $5,000 refund.
“It really broke my heart and kind of made me not want to do this anymore,” Krista said. Their plan to open a retreat for people with disabilities is now delayed.
Sowash told CBS Colorado that he believed all sauna customers had been refunded and claimed to have returned over $100,000. “We did the right thing in taking care of the people who gave us money when we couldn’t continue,” he wrote.
But frustrated customers say otherwise. Some were unable to file police reports and are now turning to the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.
“I hope someone can stop him because this has gone on for way too long,” Robert Prothero said.
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Katie is a senior who has been on staff for three years. Her favorite type of stories to write is reviews and features. Katie’s favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry.
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