• Alternate Text

  • Loading

  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Topics
    • Mergers–Acquisitions
    • Crime
    • Job Cuts
  • Insights
  • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • News
  • Strategies
  • Entrepreneurs
  • Leadership
  • Regions
    • Regions
    • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
    • Manatee-Sarasota
    • Charlotte-Lee-Collier
    • Florida
  • Industries
    • Industries
    • Business Support
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Residential Real Estate
    • Development
    • Finance
    • Food-Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • Manufacturing
    • Retail
    • Sports–Entertainment
    • Technology
    • Travel-Tourism
  • Topics
    • Topics
    • Mergers–Acquisitions
    • Crime
    • Job Cuts
  • Insights
  • More
    • More
    • Advice
    • Transactions
    • 40 Under 40
    • Big Book of Business
    • Subscribe
    • Opinion
    • Executive Diversions
    • Change-Makers
    • Reprints
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Public Notices
  • 40 Under 40 Nomination
  • Mobile App
  • Subscribe
  • Login

Crime

  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • February 22, 2025
Tampa contractor ordered to pay $55 million, serve 4 years in prison

A Pasco man who ran a wood-framing construction company for residential homes out of Tampa was sentenced for charges including fraud, tax evasion and workplace violations.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • February 21, 2025
Bradenton cabinet company owner sentenced to prison

The owner of M&L Cabinets was convicted of misapplying $100,000 or more of construction funds.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Mark Gordon
  • January 7, 2025
St. Pete palliative care physician charged with sexually exploiting kids

Dr. Stephen Andrew Leedy has worked in Tampa Bay and Sarasota.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Louis Llovio
  • November 8, 2024
Roofing company owner faces prison for $2.5M IRS fraud

The owner and manager of Nastar Roofing in Cape Coral pleaded guilty to not paying taxes on employee wages.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Louis Llovio
  • November 1, 2024
Alabama, Pinellas Park men face prison in digital NFT scam

Federal authorities say the two men, one who was convicted and one who pleaded guilty, schemed to defraud investors.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • October 21, 2024
Clearwater pavement maintenance company owner sentenced to federal prison

The owner of a pavement maintenance company was sentenced to four years in federal prison for failing to pay taxes that were withheld from employee’s paychecks.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Louis Llovio
  • October 8, 2024
Feds arrest Lee County resident, indict another for COVID fraud

Two Lehigh Acres men are facing decades in prison in unrelated cases that involve allegations of defrauding the Small Business Administration.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Observer Staff
  • September 17, 2024
Sarasota man charged with smuggling electronics into Russia

The microelectronics had military applications, prosecutors say.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • September 10, 2024
Lee County man sentenced to prison for $118K COVID loan fraud

Multiple loans were taken out under false names.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Louis Llovio
  • August 29, 2024
Port Charlotte CEO sentenced to federal prison for defrauding NASA

The CEO of Gulf Atlantic International Supply had pleaded guilty to wire fraud for submitting falsified documents to the space agency.

  • Charlotte–Lee–Collier
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • August 14, 2024
Tampa man gets three years in prison for Covid-era wire fraud

He received his sentence after being convicted in May.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Laura Lyon
  • July 19, 2024
Pair of COVID-19 loan fraud arrests made in Tampa Bay

Two busts are the latest attempts at reclaiming millions in relief funds.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • June 14, 2024
Florida business owner charged with running human trafficking ring

The attorney general highlighted a human trafficking case out of spas in Manatee and Hillsborough counties in pointing to the need for a newly formed state task force.

  • Tampa Bay-Lakeland
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Louis Llovio
  • June 11, 2024
COVID fraud lands Riverview, Fort Myers men in federal prison

Two men were sentenced to federal prison this week in separate cases stemming from criminal charges for using ill-gotten COVID relief fraud for personal use.

  • Florida
  • For Subscribers Only
    By
  • Elizabeth King
  • May 17, 2024
Bradenton cabinet company partner sentenced to prison in fraud case

The former president of a cabinet company collected money and never delivered products to dozens of her clients, police alleged.

  • Manatee-Sarasota
« 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 »
The best of Business Observer, delivered directly to your inbox

Get the latest business and commercial real estate news from Tampa Bay to Naples.

Sign Up

Latest News

1
  • August 26, 2026
Tampa credit union led deal wins final approval, creating $22B institution
2
  • August 26, 2026
324-unit downtown Sarasota apartment complex proposal wins key approval
3
  • August 26, 2026
UTC restaurant closing but 'not leaving' after 10 years, owner says
4
  • August 26, 2026
Texas firm lands leasing contract for 115,000-square-foot Tampa office building
5
  • August 26, 2026
Lee County live entertainment venue sold

Contact

  • 1970 Main St.
  • Third Floor
  • Sarasota, FL 34236
  • Phone: 941-362-4848
  • [email protected]
  • Phone: 877-231-8834

Extra, Extra!

  • Newsletters
  • App
  • Podcast
  • Big Book of Business

more

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Distribution Points
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe
  • Accessibility Options

sister sites

  • Your Observer
  • Jax Daily Record
  • Orange Observer
  • Accessibility Options
  • Copyright © 2026 Observer Media Group Inc., All Rights Reserved
×
3 Articles Remaining!
Not a Subscriber?

Click here to Subscribe

Already a Subscriber?

Click here to Login

Sign Up for Daily Brief

Start your day with the top Gulf Coast business news you need to succeed.

Sign Up for CRE Central

Stay updated with a weekly roundup of big deals, market shifts and the people shaping commercial real estate from Tampa Bay to Naples.

Smart People Subscribe.

Turn headlines into game plans. The playbook’s right here.
Subscribe to the Business Observer today.

Subscribe Now