Authorities arrested a Florida contractor and charged him with grand theft after he accepted more than $800,000 from a local church for a construction project but allegedly spent the money on lavish personal expenses, including a $100,000 car.
Here's what to know
The church's $832,175 payment to William Botelho, the owner and operator of Custom Building Solutions, was meant to cover supplies and subcontractors for a new church building, WFLA reported, citing the Clearwater Police Department. The payment represented one-fifth of the contract's total value, which was signed in August 2023.
From August 2023 to March 2026, little visible progress occurred at the site, with a perimeter fence installed but little other work done. After obtaining Botelho's financial records, investigators determined that construction costs accounted for just $95,630.27 of the money Botelho spent.
Spending church money on personal expenses
Police provided a detailed breakdown of the expenditures allegedly paid for with the church's money, including a $100,000 Mercedes G Wagon and a $65,000 payment to Ford Motor Co., WFLA reported. The church's $800,000 payment also paid for dining, travel, entertainment, apparel, and other personal expenses charged to the contractor's Apple Card, totaling an additional $176,574.97.
Other payments included over $24,000 to various law firms; roughly $15,000 toward a Chase home mortgage; and nearly $60,000 to the contractor's condominium association. After Botelho's alleged spending spree, only about $56,000 of the church's $800,000 payment remained.
The situation highlighted the need for organizations and individuals alike to be cautious about who they do choose to do business with. In this case, Botelho's company had existed for only a few months when the church signed a multi-million-dollar construction contract and paid more than $800,000 as an initial payment.
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These stories cover other situations in which customers have paid contractors large sums only to be left with unfinished or defective work.
• Florida's attorney general sued a contractor accused of taking $1 million from 80 homeowners.
• A Florida man faced charges after allegedly taking $4,000 for unfinished ductwork from an 88-year-old.
• A Florida veteran faced fines over unfinished roof work after paying in full following Hurricane Ian.
• In England, over 30 customers paid nearly £500,000 in deposits, then said work never materialized.
• An Oklahoma family paid $60,000 for work that failed inspection, then received free help.
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