Latest news with #JamesStaten
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida man faces 20 years in prison for scamming customers out of $1.3M, leaving them with unfinished pools
Putting a pool in your backyard is a major decision — costing upwards of $100,000, according to HomeGuide — that inevitably involves disruption. But for Tampa Bay-area clients of Olympus Pools, the cost and disruption were far more than they bargained for. As WFLA News Channel 8 reports, hundreds were left with nothing but holes in their backyards and bank accounts, their money swindled by Olympus Pools' former owner James Staten. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) In May, he was sentenced to 20 years of prison followed by 30 years of probation — found guilty of 35 felony counts, including multiple counts of grand theft and contractor fraud. 'The sentence in this case is based on the fact that, out of all the testimony, you willfully ruined people's lives,' Judge Mary Handsel said during the sentencing. At the hearing, the prosecutor read victim impact statements to convey just how much damage Staten caused beyond unfinished pools, including this one: 'James Staten stole nearly $25,000 from us, leaving us with an unfinished pool and a shattered sense of security. Because of his actions we were forced to dip into our 401k to complete the work, setting back not just our retirement but also our daughter's college fund.' Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it In addition to his prison sentence, Staten must pay more than $1 million in restitution to be distributed to victims. He's also barred from owning a business or having any credit cards while he's on probation. At one time, Staten's business — Lutz, Florida-based Olympus Pools — claimed to be the largest pool builder in the state. But Staten shut down the company in July 2021 amid a slew of complaints and what Staten called 'constant negative media coverage.' Florida's Department of Business and Professional Regulation fined Staten $1.4 million and forced him to surrender his contracting licence. Later that same year, he and his wife filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to prosecutors, Staten collected money from clients despite knowing their pools were unlikely to be built. He used $1.3 million of his clients' money to fund his lifestyle. 'He was stealing money from a lot of us,' former Olympus client Toni Rosier told WFLA. In addition to receiving their fraction of the restitution funding, some former clients may qualify to receive a portion of their money back through the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund. However, the amount payable is capped and is unlikely to reimburse many clients for the full amount they lost. So, what steps can you take to prevent this from happening to you? Watch out for contractors who solicit door-to-door because they 'are in the area' or 'have materials left over from a previous job,' the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns. Get multiple quotes for your project and don't rush into a decision. Before making a final decision, verify the contractor's references — and call them. Many people ask for references from previous clients and then fail to call them. Also check Better Business Bureau reports. Confirm that your contractor is licensed and insured. You can check the license with local or state regulators and ask the contractor for proof of insurance. Also look for a contractor who's a member of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA) and ask if they provide a warranty or guarantee. Be vigilant of contractors who pressure you to commit, only accept cash, demand full payment upfront or want you to borrow from a lender they recommend. Also beware if they ask you to get the permits. Get estimates and contracts in writing. The contract should include a timeline, a detailed cost breakdown, procedures for managing changes to the project and steps for resolving disputes. If things go wrong, keep detailed written records of conversations and events. Set up a payment plan contingent on work milestones being completed and don't pay in full upfront. Monitor expenses throughout the project to make sure they align with the estimate and ask for a receipt as proof of full payment once the contract is completed and paid for. Once the project starts, watch out for subcontractors who contact you directly for payment, have frequent or excessive unexpected expenses and materials that are lower quality than what was agreed to in the estimate. Lack of activity at the job site is another red flag. It may seem time-consuming to assess potential contractors and keep on top of their work, but this extra work could end up saving a lot of heartache — and your savings. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘I want him to know the pain': Victim reacts to judge sentencing Olympus Pools owner
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (WFLA) — A judge sentenced the subject of a years-long Better Call Behnken investigation to decades in prison Wednesday. After the first Better Call Behnken investigation in 2021, more and more people began to come forward. Judge sentences James Staten, of Olympus Pools, to 20 years in prison, orders $1 million in restitution They all told a similar story: Olympus Pools had left them with a dangerous, muddy pit in their backyards and no answers about when (or if) their pools would ever be complete. For some victims, they look at their pools now years later and think of a money pit, with tens of thousands of dollars now gone. For one Wesley Chapel women, her backyard oasis just serves as a painful reminder that her parents are now gone. Carmen Simpson hired Olympus Pools in 2016, saying she needed a pool for a very important reason. 'It was for my parents, so I could keep them healthy, and I could keep them walking on their own two legs,' she said. 'My father had clots so badly, he had to swim.' 'My mother had two replaced knees, and they would freeze up on her; but if she swam, she was able to walk with her own legs,' Simpson continued. Simpson told 8 On Your Side, she explained that to Olympus Pools Owner James Staten as he toured her property before she signed on. Lawsuit filed against Jeff Knight in deadly Clearwater Ferry crash From there, she said, Olympus Pools employees came out, started the project and poured the concrete. 'It was over a foot too high, and of course, that caused water to back up into our kitchen every time it rains,' Simpson explained. At that point, Simpson said she had already paid $60,000 up front. So she wanted them to fix it. 'I insisted that Mr. Staten come out to speak to me,' she said. 'He refused. He would never come out here.' Simpson described the unfinished project, saying it was, 'Just a hole, a wide-open hole, just a wide-open hole and anything or anybody could fall in it.' After eight years of painful litigation, Simpson said she was finally able to get a company to come out and finish the work Staten started in 2016. But by then, she said, it was too late. 'My father wasn't able to swim, and because of that he passed away in 2018; and just this past week, I lost my mother as well,' she said. Before the judge handed down the sentence, Staten spoke in court apologizing to the victims. 'I just want everyone involved know that I'm just so deeply sorry for everything that went on,' he said in part. Now Simpson has her own message for Staten. 'I want him to know the pain that he's caused me, and his little 80-second announcement in court today, to say he's sorry, wasn't even with any remorse,' she said. News Channel 8 reporter Nicole Rogers asked, 'Do you think there could've been a different result if Shannon Behnken wouldn't have gotten involved?' 'I don't think it would've gotten anywhere,' Simpson replied. 'I don't think anyone would've listened to us.' Simpson hopes her story serves as cautionary tale for all Floridians to not pay all of the money up front to contractors and stay involved throughout the entire process. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeSantis hosts property tax relief roundtable in South Tampa, may veto sales tax bill
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – There are two opposing plans in Tallahassee involving cutting taxes. Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on reducing or eliminating property taxes. State lawmakers are finalizing a plan in their budget that involves reducing the state sales tax. Judge sentences James Staten, of Olympus Pools, to 20 years in prison, orders $1 million in restitution During a roundtable in South Tampa on Wednesday, DeSantis proposed that state lawmakers do two things relating to property taxes before the extended session ends. 'I've proposed, we have the money to fully fund the education budget,' DeSantis said. 'We could send you a rebate on your property taxes this year. We'll only do it for homesteaded Floridians. We're not going to do it for the snowbirds.' The governor said many homeowners could get a rebate from $300 up to $1,000 by December of this year, if lawmakers approve. He also pushed lawmakers to put language on the November 2026 ballot to reduce or eliminate property taxes altogether. 'Which is really how you have to do it by a constitutional amendment to provide protections for homeowners. This is all very doable,' DeSantis said. If voters approve, that could force county and city leaders to make major changes before 2027. Previously, some elected officials in Tampa Bay municipalities have expressed concerns on how to fill the gap for crucial services if they are forced to reduce or eliminate their main source for their budgets. 'You can bank on tourists coming,' DeSantis said. 'You can obviously look at expenditures, but you can also shift the tax to the non-residents. That could be done very easily.' The governor said bigger counties, like Pinellas, could easily shift the tax burden to tourists and possibly seasonal residents for budgetary purposes. For smaller and rural counties, the governor says the state could help. No Tampa Bay County leader has responded to a request for comment about the governor's idea. State lawmakers are scheduled to continue working on the budget next week, which includes a plan to reduce the sales tax. DeSantis disagrees with the effort. 'The average Floridian would save a whopping $47, if they were to do it,' DeSantis said. Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez previously spoke about the state house version of the plan before reaching a deal with the senate. 'It is $5 billion of real cutting going back to the people in a way that has never been done in the state. The first time ever,' Perez said. The state house has recently started a 37-member committee to look at whether reducing or eliminating property taxes is feasible. However, any decision is expected to be discussed during the next regular session. As for discussions on reducing the sales tax, the governor has hinted that he plans to veto the plan. 'Any 'Florida last' tax package is going to be dead on arrival. We are not going to kneecap our ability to provide you property tax relief, just so we can give a little bit of a benefit to Canadian tourists,' DeSantis said. As of now, it's unclear if property owners will see any relief on sales or property taxes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
