FLORIDA — A Florida pool contractor that reportedly defrauded homeowners in Brevard, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has announced.
Moody said her Office of Statewide Prosecution secured a 30-year prison sentence for a Florida man on multiple felony charges for operating a multimillion-dollar pool contracting scheme. Amore Pools Inc. owner, Brian Washburn, defrauded Florida homeowners by taking upfront payments and deposits, often leaving dangerous debris piles and gaping holes in victims’ backyards, Moody said.
“This fraudster will spend decades in prison for stealing millions of dollars from Floridians who made huge down payments to have pools built on their properties,” said Moody.
“He took their money, dug massive holes in their yards, then ran from his contractual obligations to complete the work, but he didn’t get far before the law caught up with him. Now, thanks to my Statewide Prosecutors, he will spend a long time behind bars thinking about his terrible crimes.”
An investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement reportedly found that Washburn induced homeowners in Brevard, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties to sign contracts to build pools with promises of low prices and quick, professional work.
The contracts required hefty upfront deposits and large front-end payments. Once Washburn received a deposit, the company sometimes abandoned the project before work began. In other cases, Washburn dug gaping holes in the victims’ backyards with dangerous debris piles around the project site, Moody’s statement said.
According to Moody, the company left most of the pool projects uncompleted, resulting in expensive property damage for homeowners. To cover up the fraud, Washburn reportedly used a third-party check cashing store to convert the deposits into cash.
According to the statement, Washburn was sentenced to a 30-year sentence on nine felony counts: one count of organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony; two counts of money laundering of more than $100,000, a first-degree felony; and six counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information, a third-degree felony. Washburn was also ordered to pay $3 million in restitution for the victims of the pool fraud scheme.
Washburn’s wife and co-conspirator, Chyrstal Washburn, remains in custody at the Indian River County Jail. Chrystal Washburn’s charges are currently pending, Moody said.
Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Jonathan Bridges and Stephanie Tew prosecuted this case.
