Latest news with #OlympusPools
Yahoo
5 days ago
- 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
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New law aims to hold owners accountable for derelict boats
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – State lawmakers passed a bill to crack down on abandoned boats with the hopes of holding owners financially responsible. The new measure aims to increase penalties for owners of derelict boats. Florida is a haven for boaters, many calling it the 'boating capital of the world.' But when tragedy hits, like hurricanes Helene and Milton, hundreds of vessels become displaced. 'I want him to know the pain': Victim reacts to judge sentencing Olympus Pools owner State lawmakers now want to hold owners of these very boats accountable, with Senate Bill 164. The bill passed out of both chambers and now awaits the governor's signature. The legislation aims to crack down on vessels left to deteriorate in state waters, making it illegal to reside on a derelict vessel. 'It also allows law enforcement to declare vessels with repeated violations as public nuisances and holds vessel owners solely responsible for the relocation and disposal costs,' said State Rep. Fabian Basabe (R-Miami Beach). And for those who refuse to shell up the cash, it could lead to fines and potentially prevent them from purchasing another vessel in the future. 'Lucy's Law' introduced to Florida house to mandate boating safety training after teen's death 8 On Your Side met with Officer Bradley Johnson with Florida's Fish and Wildlife. He talked about the negative impacts that derelict vessels can have. 'Vessels can damage you know marine sanctuaries, seagrass beds, and important vegetation to our wildlife, in addition to that there could be things like fuel on board, vessels that can sometimes leak out into the water, it can pose a navigational hazard to the public who are out trying to navigate our waterways, especially after a storm, when everything's shifted around,' Bradley Johnson, the Public Information Officer for FWC Division of Law Enforcement said. Coming off of hurricanes Helene and Milton, FWC removed a total of 469 vessels from state waters, with six that are still under investigation.'We actually have a process where they can turn that boat over to the state of Florida and we can remove and responsibly dispose of that vessel before it becomes derelict, when it can potentially pose those environmental hazards or higher cost to taxpayers to get that vessel removed,' said Johnson. The vessel-turn-in program can be found here. The cost of removing, destroying, and disposing of eligible vessels is 100% funded by the program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘It's exhausting': Wave of hurricane-damaged FL homes demolished to comply with federal mandate
REDINGTON SHORES, Fla. (WFLA) — Some homeowners who are living in the areas hit hardest by Hurricanes Helene and Milton now have to watch their homes be torn down. They must comply with a federal mandate that requires severely damaged homes to be elevated or destroyed. FEMA's so-called '50% rule' might cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Olympus Pools customers call guilty verdict justice The rule is changing the face of the barrier islands across Pinellas County including a neighborhood in Redington Shores. 'This was initially the living room,' said Derek Brunney. 'This was our entrance to the home itself. It's all gone as you can see.' Brunney lived in his home for more than 20 years, but now it's in shambles with construction debris littered across the property. Twenty years of memories are gone. 'You start seeing different events you had on the property,' Brunney said. 'Weddings, birthdays, things like that. It just rehashed everything up.' The shattered windows and crushed cinderblocks are a stark contrast to what his home looked like last week when he showed 8 On Your Side the damage inside. However, within hours after the demolition crew showed up, his house became a shell. The rubble left behind is now an eerie reminder of the storms that tore through his neighborhood nearly six months ago. Could the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office HQ move out of Ybor City? 'It's one step forward, two, or three steps back,' Brunney said. 'You get punched in the eye at the same time.' Brunney's new reality is the result of the FEMA 50% rule. The damage to his home exceeded the threshold for repairs, leaving him with few choices to meet the requirements to tear down or elevate his home. FEMA's 50% rule is a complex regulation that can cost homeowners a small fortune. Essentially, if the house is located in a flood zone, and local building officials determine it has substantial damage, the homeowner might not be allowed to just do simple repairs. They may be forced to tear down your home and completely rebuild at a higher elevation. The federal regulation is triggered when the cost of repairs exceeds 50% of the market value of the home. However, many difficulties remain. 'You're still paying your flood insurance,' Brunney said. 'You're still paying your homeowners insurance. You're still paying your water, your sewer, your trash. None of that stops.' However, Brunney says he's persevering and holding onto hope. 'It's slow,' he said. 'It's daunting. It's exhausting, but it's the only way you're going to move forward right now until you get to the end of it.' Now, with a new hurricane season fast approaching, homeowners are making difficult and costly decisions when storm proofing their homes. However, the state just rolled out a new program that is aimed at helping homeowners offset the cost. 'Elevate Florida' is the first elevation mitigation program in the state. If approved, homeowners could receive about 75% of the project cost. However, critics worry the $400 million allocation from the state may not have enough dollars to meet the demand. According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the goal of Elevate Florida is to enhance community resilience by mitigating private residences against natural hazards. Officials say mitigation reconstruction is the alternative to structure elevation when the structure is not sound enough to elevate, as determined during application review. Eligible projects include: Structure elevation Mitigation reconstruction Acquisition/demolition Wind mitigation For more information about the program or to apply for assistance, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
