TAMPA -- The owner of a defunct pool company is facing more than 30 criminal charges over pools that were paid for but never got built.
The state Attorney General's office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement say James Staten, owner of Olympus Pools, is jailed with bond set at $2.8 million. FDLE Special Agent in Charge for the Tampa office, Mark Brutnell, says they've identified 140 victims since October of 2021. Staten's charges include organized scheme to defraud, grand theft and contractor fraud. Staten allegedly accepted large down payments but left customers in four counties (Hillsborough, Pasco, Polk and Manatee) with no pools and holes in the ground.
Brutnell says some victims paid in full using life savings or retirement funds. Detectives say Staten spent some of the money on a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of Super Bowl tickets for the game that was held in Tampa during the pandemic.
Moody says they'll try to recover fines and restitution, but getting all of the money owed to customers is a challenge.
To add insult to injury, detectives allege, Staten hired subcontractors but failed to pay them, resulting in construction liens against homeowners' properties.
News Channel 8 has reported extensively on homeowners' complaints with Staten, at this link.
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