Arrest Also Made on Illegal Charity Activity, One Still Wanted
Officers with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services arrested Dean Sherwood of Tampa on Wednesday and charged him with 40 counts, including grand theft, unlicensed activity and organized scheme to defraud consumers.
“Thanks to the thorough investigation and swift action taken by our officers, there’s one less scammer stealing thousands of dollars from Floridians,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam.
Last year, the department was notified of alleged illegal activity by Executive Transfer and Recovery LLC, operated by Dean John Sherwood (DOB 2/5/65), of 6711 North 78th St. in Tampa. The business would conduct unsolicited cold calls to consumers who owned time shares and deceive these victims by promising the times shares had been sold.
Executive Transfer would then instruct the victims to send money to the business for closing costs and other fees to execute the sale, then sever all forms of communication with the victims. Investigators identified suspected financial theft of $272,737 from 13 victims, which had been deposited in several different bank accounts associated with the company.
Sherwood was arrested and booked into Hillsborough County Jail without bond. He was charged with one count of Organized Scheme to Defraud (first-degree felony), four counts of Grand Theft of the Second Degree (second-degree felony), nine counts of Grand Theft of the Third Degree (third-degree felony), 13 counts of Unlicensed Telephone Solicitation (third-degree felony), and 13 counts of Unlicensed Real Estate Activity (third-degree felony).
In addition, warrants were issued Wednesday for two men in connection with illegal charitable activities. In 2013, a former employee of Florida Veterans Assistance Corp alerted the department to the charity’s questionable activities, including soliciting funds without being registered as required by state law and spending those funds on activities not related to the charitable cause.
Gul Moryani (DOB 1/14/63) of 14840 SW 54th St. in Miramar, was arrested Wednesday and charged with seven violations of the Solicitation of Funds statute, all third-degree felonies. Dan Soat (DOB 8/13/58) of 817 S. Palmetto Ave. in Daytona Beach, has absconded from his address and is still wanted.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is the state’s clearinghouse for consumer complaints, protection and information. Consumers who believe fraud has taken place can contact the department’s consumer protection and information hotline at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or, for Spanish speakers, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832).
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit www.FreshFromFlorida.com.