Authorities: roofing firm exec bought $700K boat with PPP funds

FORT MYERS — Target Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc. President Casey David Crowther has been charged with using federal coronavirus relief funds for personal use, including buying a 40-foot boat for nearly $700,000.

Crowther, 35, of Fort Myers, is charged with making a false statement to a lending institution, according to an unsealed criminal complaint and a statement from the U.S. Attorneys office in Tampa. Crowther applied for and received a loan of $2,098,700 under the federal Payroll Protection Program, according to the complaint. Through the SBA, PPP loan rules stipulate that the funds have to be used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities.