Deputies arrest Edgewater man in swimming pool fraud scheme
Generic - County Volusia
LAKE MARY, Fla. - Volusia sheriff’s deputies on Thursday arrested an Edgewater man who is accused of defrauding nine victims of nearly $260,000 they paid him to build or refurbish swimming pools.
James Griffin, 41, was taken into custody in Daytona Beach without incident and charged with obtaining property by fraud of more than $50,000 and grand theft of $100,000 or more.
Authorities said Griffin used his registered pool business, Aquatic Daze Pools and Spas, to convince the victims to write checks to him to build in-ground pools at their home or to refurbish existing pools without completing the work. In each case, investigators said Griffin failed to finish the jobs, asked for more money and left each victim with a hole in the ground that could not be used without hiring another contractor.
Griffin remains held at the Volusia County Branch Jail on $200,000 bail.