ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando man was arrested during a trip to Hawaii as part of a fraud bust this week, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
In a release, Uthmeier’s office announced that the man — identified as Steven Harry Minard, 57 — was accused of putting together a complex scheme to defraud a high-profile investor out of $1 million.
To do so, he promoted a non-existent, multi-billion-dollar development project known as “Orlando World Live” (OWL), the release states.
Officials wrote that OWL was presented as a massive entertainment and urban development project in downtown Orlando, featuring futuristic “zones,” high-profile celebrity partnerships, and projected revenues of over $1.6 billion.
However, it was later revealed that no such project actually existed, investigators noted.
“No permit applications or contracts were ever filed with the city of Orlando, and the funds provided by the victim were allegedly diverted to pay off Minard’s unrelated business debts and personal expenses,” the release reads.
As a result, Minard was located and arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii, while trying to board a flight back to Houston, Texas, Uthmeier’s office declared. He’s now in custody, pending extradition to Florida.
Per state officials, Minard faces several felony charges, including a count of scheming to defraud and a count of sale of an unregistered security.
“This case exemplifies the reach of our Statewide Prosecutors, who partner with state, local, and federal law enforcement to bring criminals back to Florida to face justice,” Uthmeier said. “Thanks to the Florida Office of Financial Regulation, our federal partners at HSI New York EDTF, HSI Orlando, HSI Honolulu, and the Honolulu Police Department for their collaboration on this investigation and arrest.”
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