Latest news with #TampaBay-area
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Man gets 6 years in scam that cost Tampa Bay women close to $1 million
TAMPA — A man who acted as a 'money mule' in a nationwide scheme that involved government impersonators and bilked a pair of Tampa Bay-area women of close to $1 million will spend six years in federal prison, a judge ordered Tuesday. U.S. District Judge William Jung called the crime 'evil and wicked,' noting that the scheme ripped off older adults who were led to believe they'd be arrested if they didn't turn over their life savings. 'It's pretty much the same thing as going in their house and sticking a gun in their temple,' Jung said. 'These people were terrified.' The prison sentence was greater than the three years suggested by federal guidelines, though significantly less than what the judge said he'd planned to impose. Jung was apparently persuaded by arguments from Assistant Public Defender Adam Allen, who said Patel's role in the scheme was limited to that of a courier for what he knew was 'bad money.' It was a job he came to at a low point in his life, his lawyer said. 'He was really depressed and not doing well,' Allen told the judge. 'And those are the types of people that get roped into becoming mules.' Patel, 33, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in the scheme. Federal prosecutors identified 11 victims in seven states. Their collective loss was estimated at close to $1.8 million. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Peresie read a letter from one man who lost $49,000. He wrote that he had to sell his home and struggled to pay expenses. The man 'was devastated by the fraud,' Peresie said. The crime came to light in December 2023 after a Ruskin woman told investigators she'd handed over several large sums of cash and gold at the direction of someone who'd contacted her by phone. The woman, identified in court records by the initials 'E.L.,' believed the person was an officer of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. She gave money to clear up what she was told was an arrest warrant charging her with money laundering. She described several transactions in which a car pulled up to her house before she was instructed to place cash packages in the back seat. She never spoke to the driver. Over several months and multiple transactions, the woman emptied her bank accounts, a life insurance policy and a Roth IRA. By the time the scheme came to the attention of law enforcement, she'd lost $170,000. A Pasco County woman told authorities a similar story. That woman, identified in court records as 'D.L.,' described a series of transactions for cash and gold bars with a person she believed was a Treasury agent. Her total loss was pegged at $732,000. The final exchange occurred outside a Ruskin Circle K, under the watch of Hillsborough deputies and U.S. Secret Service agents. 'E.L.' had been told to deliver $27,000 in gold coins and bars. Agents instead gave her a package of soap, which she placed in the back of a red Jeep. They followed the driver all the way to the Wiregrass mall in Wesley Chapel. In the mall parking lot, they watched as Patel got out and opened the package. He was then arrested. Patel tried to cooperate with investigators, his attorney said. But he could provide only scarce information about the people who employed him. No one else involved in the scheme has been brought to justice. The perpetrators were based in call centers in India. 'I need my sentence to send a message to wherever these people are,' Judge Jung said. 'You're hiding in some boiler room, but some of your minions are getting a serious, big sentence.' Patel's involvement in the scheme lasted only about 60 days, his attorney said. He had no role in planning or organizing the scam. He has otherwise lived a law-abiding life. He holds a college degree in mechanical engineering from a school in his native India. He immigrated with his family to the U.S. in 2018. They lived in New Jersey. Patel pursued a master's degree at Marshall University in West Virginia, but his limited English led him to drop out, according to a sentencing memo. His language difficulties made it difficult for him to hold a job. He'd worked for short periods as a 7-Eleven cashier, a Bank of America software engineer and a soil inspector for an engineering company. He married an American woman, but separated after she became physically abusive, his lawyer said. His life in the U.S. was characterized as 'one failure after another,' the memo stated. He became a 'money mule' out of desperation. In October 2023, he was offered a job that involved picking up and delivering packages. He was told little else, but came to learn the packages held money and gold. He received directions on his phone through WhatsApp about where to go to pick up the packages. He never met the person who gave the directions. Once he arrived, someone would come out and place the package in the back of his car. He'd then obtain further instructions on where to deliver it. For every package, Patel was reimbursed the cost of his airfare and car rentals. Although he assisted in the laundering of more than $1.5 million, Patel received a meager $6,000 for his work. He knew he was involved in an illegal scheme, court records state. But he knew nothing about its scope and structure. Patel sat in court Tuesday wearing an orange jail uniform. He listened to the words of an interpreter who translated the proceedings from Gujarati, his native language. His father, Bharat Patel, urged the judge to impose a lesser sentence. His crime was due to the bad influence of a friend, he said. As he spoke, his son placed his hands over his face. In his own words to the court, Pranav Patel said he wished he could apologize to the victims and vowed never to make the same mistake. 'I came to the USA for a better life,' he said, speaking through the interpreter. 'And I feel very sorry and bad ... that the best years of my life I spent this way.' He said he never knew that what he did was making people miserable. But their misery ran deeper than the theft, the judge said. Patel stole their peace of mind that they could never fall victim to such a fraud. 'You were a vital part of the scheme,' Jung said, 'which was just about as cold and nasty of a scheme as I've ever seen." Times staff writer Alexa Coultoff contributed to this report.
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.
Fox Sports
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Danny Jansen homers and drives in 4 runs to help the Rays to a 6-3 win over the Braves
Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit his first home run of the season and drove in four runs, Christopher Morel also homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Friday night. Jansen, who had one hit in his first 27 at-bats through the Rays' first 12 games, hit a two-run homer on a first-pitch sinker from Bryce Elder in the fourth inning, scoring Kameron Misner. In his next at-bat in the sixth, the 29-year-old catcher hit an RBI single to center and added a ground-rule double in the eighth that scored another run. Morel hit a solo shot in the sixth and finished with three hits. Rays starter Taj Bradley (2-0) struggled to get through the first, needing 32 pitches to get through the inning and allowing one run. Atlanta's Matt Olson drove in Austin Riley with a single to give the Braves a 1-0 lead before Bradley struck out Bryan De La Cruz and Jarred Kelenic with the bases loaded to end the threat. Bradley worked six innings and limited Atlanta to one run on five hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Braves, who didn't arrive at their Tampa Bay-area hotel until 4:45 a.m. after a rain-delayed, extra-inning win over Philadelphia on Thursday night, tried to rally late. The Braves hit two homers off Edwin Uceta in the eighth. Marcell Ozuna launched a 425-foot shot to left-center field with one out. Ozzie Albies took advantage of the short porch in right for his second homer of the season. Elder (0-1) took the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs with four strikeouts. Atlanta (3-10) lost its eighth straight road game and became the first National League team to reach the 10-loss mark. Key moment Right after the Rays had a run taken away on an overturned call at the plate, catcher Jansen hit his 358-foot, two-run shot to left. Key stat Bradley struck out seven batters, pushing him past the 300 mark with 304 career strikeouts. Up next Atlanta sends RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2, 5.19) against Tampa Bay's RHP Drew Rassmussen (1-0, 1.38) on Saturday. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Associated Press
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Danny Jansen homers and drives in 4 runs to help the Rays to a 6-3 win over the Braves
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit his first home run of the season and drove in four runs, Christopher Morel also homered and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Friday night. Jansen, who had one hit in his first 27 at-bats through the Rays' first 12 games, hit a two-run homer on a first-pitch sinker from Bryce Elder in the fourth inning, scoring Kameron Misner. In his next at-bat in the sixth, the 29-year-old catcher hit an RBI single to center and added a ground-rule double in the eighth that scored another run. Morel hit a solo shot in the sixth and finished with three hits. Rays starter Taj Bradley (2-0) struggled to get through the first, needing 32 pitches to get through the inning and allowing one run. Atlanta's Matt Olson drove in Austin Riley with a single to give the Braves a 1-0 lead before Bradley struck out Bryan De La Cruz and Jarred Kelenic with the bases loaded to end the threat. Bradley worked six innings and limited Atlanta to one run on five hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts. The Braves, who didn't arrive at their Tampa Bay-area hotel until 4:45 a.m. after a rain-delayed, extra-inning win over Philadelphia on Thursday night, tried to rally late. The Braves hit two homers off Edwin Uceta in the eighth. Marcell Ozuna launched a 425-foot shot to left-center field with one out. Ozzie Albies took advantage of the short porch in right for his second homer of the season. Elder (0-1) took the loss, allowing nine hits and five runs with four strikeouts. Atlanta (3-10) lost its eighth straight road game and became the first National League team to reach the 10-loss mark. Key moment Right after the Rays had a run taken away on an overturned call at the plate, catcher Jansen hit his 358-foot, two-run shot to left. Key stat Bradley struck out seven batters, pushing him past the 300 mark with 304 career strikeouts. Up next Atlanta sends RHP AJ Smith-Shawver (0-2, 5.19) against Tampa Bay's RHP Drew Rassmussen (1-0, 1.38) on Saturday. ___ AP MLB:
Miami Herald
13-03-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Condo board members resigning after stricter reserve rules, causing chaos
Serving as a voluntary member of a community association's board of directors has often been called a thankless job. Those sentiments have become more evident with the growing levels of discord at many communities due to rising insurance costs and new state requirements for structural inspections and reserves, put in place after the partial collapse of Champlain Towers in Surfside in 2021. Sudden resignations of entire boards of directors have been leaving some communities in extraordinarily difficult situations. Two cases of boards of directors resigning at Tampa Bay-area communities made headlines last summer. A July report by ABC Action News in Tampa chronicled how the sudden exodus of HOA directors at the On Top of the World retirement community essentially rendered the association temporarily defunct. It could not proceed with any day-to-day business with only one member left on its nine-person board. The community called a special meeting to appoint four new directors to bring the total to five, which met the required quorum and allowed the board to continue performing its duties. Two of the departing directors felt the vitriol and personal attacks by residents had become too much to bear, the station reported. The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was called in to investigate several online posts, including some urging residents to 'storm the [board] meeting' and attend it 'armed and loaded.' A few weeks earlier in June, Villas of Carillon residents near St. Petersburg were informed via email that the HOA's entire board of directors had resigned, effective immediately, the CBS affiliate, reported. Their resignation came after the owners successfully postponed a board vote over a special assessment for $60,000 per unit stemming from the results of a structural integrity reserve study. The station chronicled how more than 100 owners packed a hotel ballroom to vote on the assessment, asserting the board was not following the proper procedures. 'In a surprise turn, the board and property management company allowed a motion to postpone going to a vote, and everyone shouted 'Aye.' Meeting adjourned,' the station reported. Last month, at Grenadier Lakes at Welleby in Sunrise, the HOA's board of directors also abruptly resigned, leaving owners with no way to access the association's funds to pay a $20,000 insurance bill, CBS4 Miami reported. Residents scrambled to raise enough money to cover the bill in less than 24 hours, and they launched an online fundraiser to secure additional funds to cover the next month's payment. The owners also filed an emergency motion asking Broward Circuit Court to grant them the power to elect a new board so they can access the HOA's funds and pay for such essential expenses. Florida lawmakers have enacted laws in recent years aiming to increase transparency in community association governance and board member accountability, and to require milestone inspections and funding of structural-integrity reserves. Those new mandates, together with the financial burden of rising premiums for required insurance, have created significantly increased costs for many associations that are passed onto members. READ MORE: Florida's Surfside law helps developers as condo owners face spiking fees and foreclosures As a result, tensions have grown due to owners being skeptical of their governing boards, and directors exasperated by the cynicism of their neighbors. This has led to increased resignations by directors and greater reluctance of others to volunteer for board service. Given all the upheaval, many are calling for legislative fixes to provide some relief. The state's lawmakers should facilitate emergency votes to elect new directors after resignations of complete boards; provide for incentives for insurers to lower premiums for associations; create loan programs for associations facing increased costs; and expand the training and certification of association directors. As these recent cases illustrate, mass resignations that leave associations without a functioning board can lead to significant legal, financial and administrative challenges as well as increased costs. Plus, the resigning directors who refuse to provide for some sort of transition could be considered to be in breach of their fiduciary duties. Florida law requires community associations to maintain a functioning board of directors, and their governing bylaws typically spell out the process for elections or appointments of new board members following resignations. With all the turmoil that many communities are experiencing, and in the absence of legislative fixes to address the mounting strains, directors and managers would be well advised to consult with qualified and experienced association attorneys to review the procedures prescribed by their documents and consider possible changes to help avoid the repercussions of a sudden mass exodus by all their directors. Roberto C. Blanch, a shareholder with the South Florida law firm of Siegfried Rivera, focuses on community association law. He is board certified as an expert in association law by The Florida Bar. Contact him at RBlanch@ 305-442-3334.
