BARTOW — A Winter Haven man is facing criminal charges for allegedly scamming people into contributing money to offset utility bills for veterans, then pocketing the funds.
The State Attorney’s Office in Bartow has charged Christopher Edwards, 49, with four counts of grand theft and five counts of unlawfully soliciting funds. Edwards, of 2200 Ave. B S.W., faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutors allege that Edward operated Power to Our Veterans, a business that sponsored raffles and other events to collect money for veterans, according to the arrest affidavit.
“Edwards was not registered as a charity, misrepresented himself as being affiliated with power companies, failed to award the prizes he offered up for raffle and failed to apply the contributions he received in a manner consistent with his solicitation,” according to the affidavit.
An examination of financial statements has revealed that proceeds from raffles, along with other contributions, were deposited into accounts controlled by Edwards, prosecutors said.
“Contrary to the representations made by Edwards,” his arrest report states, “the monies collected from businesses and the community were deposited into Edwards’ various accounts and used for personal gain.”
Chief Assistant State Attorney Jacob Orr said the investigation hasn’t revealed the total amount Edwards may have received through the fraud.
The arrest report states that Edwards held two raffles in 2016 in which the winner would receive a motorcycle, each valued at about $22,000. When the same person won both raffles, he asked to consolidate the two winnings into a single motorcycle valued at an estimated $37,500. Edwards had sold raffle tickets totaling $40,000 for the first event, and a similar amount for the second, and told executives at the Orlando Harley Davidson dealership that the additional funds would be donated to Power to Our Veterans.
James Reeves, who won both raffles, paid $2,740 to cover the taxes for the motorcycle in November 2016, the affidavit states, but Edwards never has paid the $37,500 for the motorcycle.
The Power to Our Veterans website features Scott Owens, a veteran who sought assistance for his electric bill. The arrest affidavit states that Edwards made two payments on Owens’ electric bill, but both payments failed to clear the bank, causing Owens’ power to be turned off.
Owens had severed ties with Edwards and his organization, the affidavit states, but Edwards continued to use Owens’ story on the website for solicitation purposes.
State Attorney Brian Haas said the investigation into Edwards began last summer, when a representative from Paddleboard Winter Haven contacted his office with her suspicions.
“We’re concerned when any of our businesses or people are taken for money, but when someone uses veterans as a means to get people to give of their money, it adds a whole level of outrage,” he said.
Haas said Edwards capitalized on the relationships he developed to further his own gain.
“He used legitimate businesses and people to make it appear that he had a legitimate charity, which he didn’t,” he said.
Edwards is being held without bond pending a court hearing today. If a bond is set, the State Attorney’s Office is seeking a hold on executing it until it can be determined that the funds used to pay the bond were not derived from his fundraising and related activities, Haas said.
Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. Follow her on Twitter @southpolkscene.