Ex-Siesta Key resort manager accused of stealing $110K from hotel
Billy Prater was arrested on May 21 after the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office said he used his status as Siesta Key Palms Resort manager to give free rooms or cancel rooms in the system and pocketed the money.
The resort's owner met with deputies on Nov. 26 to file a fraud report after he discovered that his former officer manager was stealing from his business following a financial audit, an arrest affidavit said.
Investigators said another part of Prater's scheme was to hire a handyman to complete jobs around the property. The report showed that Prater paid the handyman through CashApp, PayPal and company payroll. Deputies said it was unclear what work the handyman did and if the amount he was paid was inflated.
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An audit showed that Prater stole about $110,470.19 from the end of 2023 through 2024, the report said.
Prater is also accused of committing FEMA fraud by adding extra stays to FEMA-approved accounts, even though the guests didn't stay those nights.
The information was forwarded to FEMA, and the owner was forced to pay FEMA $7,003, the report showed.
According to court records, Prater bonded out of jail on May 22 for $50,000. He has a criminal arraignment hearing scheduled for June 20.
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