Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution announced that James Ivan Staten, Jr., the owner and operator of Olympus Pools, has been found guilty of defrauding Floridians out of more than $1.5 million.
Staten was convicted on 35 counts, including aggravated white-collar crime, organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, and contractor fraud. He accepted large down payments from customers in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, and Polk counties but failed to complete their pools, leaving them with unfinished projects and destroyed yards.
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“I’m proud to announce that Prosecutors Stephanie Bergen and Panagiota Papakos secured a guilty conviction for this fraudster who turned many Floridians’ dreams of a backyard paradise into a nightmare, taking their money and digging holes to nowhere,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Little did this fraudster know, he’d be digging himself into a 20-year minimum prison sentence.”
The investigation revealed that Staten preyed on Florida homeowners, taking upfront payments by check, credit card, cash, or financing. He deposited the funds into Olympus Pools accounts and then transferred the money to his personal account for personal expenses.
Staten also hired subcontractors but often failed to pay them, resulting in construction liens being placed on the homeowners’ properties.
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The criminal investigation was led by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office Division of Consumer Protection. Assistance was also provided by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Prior to the criminal conviction, the Attorney General’s Office took civil action to shut down Olympus Pools, permanently closing the Tampa-based company. As a result of the civil action, the company is permanently enjoined from conducting business, and Staten is banned for life from operating a pool company in Florida.
Staten’s sentencing is scheduled for May 7th, and he faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years.
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