SOUTHWEST FLORIDA — The Department of Justice has indicted a Sarasota man charged with a investment fraud scheme in Naples.
Fox 4's Bella Line tells us what prosecutors say he did to people at a Naples church:
According to the indictment, 51-year-old Brent Adam Seaman operated several Florida LLCs in Naples from June 2019 to November 2022.
Those LLCs were referred to as "Accanito," the DOJ said.
According to United States Attorney Gregory Kehoe, Seaman represented himself as a successful investor, currency trader and entrepreneur. However, Kehoe said that was false.
The US Attorney said Seaman promised guaranteed high rates of return on investments to investors.
“After losing the money, he would bring in new investors, and in a Ponzi type like arrangement, he would take the money that he got from new investors to pay off the old investors," said Kehoe.
Of some that money he is charged with stealing, Kehoe said Seaman paid $12,500 on his personal rent, $25,000 on jewelry, $40,000 on a private jet and $165,000 on a Ferrari. He said this was with the money from investors.
Kehoe said there are more than 70 victims.
“The focal point of them are the people that met in Bible studies in Grow Church and that’s where Seaman took advantage of it," said Kehoe.
Line spoke with a man at Grow Church in Naples and they said they are praying for Seaman's family and have no further comment.
Back in July 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Seaman for fraudulently raising approximately $35 million from at least 60 investors through an unregistered securities offering.
Many of these investors were elderly, retired, and connected to a Naples church where Seaman was an active member, according to the S.E.C.
“If anybody comes to you in an investment and guarantees you a rate of return, pack up your bags and leave," said Kehoe.
Seaman is facing nine federal counts including five counts of wire fraud and four counts of illegal monetary transactions.
