Nearly 70 firearms and more than 10K rounds of ammo were confiscated in the bust.
A Sarasota man has been arrested and charged in connection with what prosecutors say was a wide-ranging construction fraud scheme that spanned seven counties in Florida.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that Seth Bloom is suspected of orchestrating the effort, which allegedly bilked 13 victims. Prosecutors say the scheme likely racked up $3 million in stolen funds.
In addition to the fraudulent construction scheme, investigators say Bloom, a convicted felon, was in possession of a sizable stash of firearms and ammunition that officials found at his Sarasota home. It is generally illegal for convicted felons to possess firearms in Florida.
“This fraudster took advantage of Floridians, and this criminal behavior won’t be tolerated,” Uthmeier said. “Thanks to the outstanding work of our Statewide Prosecutors and the Sarasota Police Department, a convicted felon is off the streets, a massive illegal arsenal is dismantled, and Florida families are safer for it.”
The joint investigation was conducted by the Sarasota Police Department, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Florida Office of State Prosecution.
Bloom was arrested June 25 and remains in the Sarasota County jail on charges of scheme to defraud, misuse of construction funds, grand theft, wire fraud, forgery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
“This case is a testament to the hard work and coordination of our detectives and partner agencies,” said Sarasota Police Chief Rex Troche. “What started as a financial crime investigation led to the removal of a significant number of illegally possessed firearms from our community. It’s another example of our department’s commitment to protecting victims and pursuing justice at every level.”
Investigators say the arsenal of weapons seized in the investigation is extensive, including 14 handguns, 50 rifles and more than 10,420 rounds of ammunition in 14 different calibers. Large amounts of business records, along with computers and additional evidence linked to the fraud, were also confiscated, according to law enforcement.