'I ain't in jail': Felony charges for man accused of hijacking Sarasota real estate company
Robert Houston posted a video on Youtube.com proclaiming his innocence, more than a month after Sarasota police had opened a criminal investigation into claims of fraud against the Parrish man.
He had been accused last August by a Sarasota real estate company of hijacking the business through the state's insecure online records filing system that allowed him to remove and replace the firm's legitimate officers. The owners of Glenco Properties Group Corp. said Houston then mortgaged their properties for about $1 million.
Previous coverage:Stranger accused of using website flaw to hijack Sarasota man's real estate business
More:Man accused of hijacking Sarasota business countersues company he allegedly stole
In the video titled "How to become Hard as Steel #HAM," Houston said he had done nothing wrong and accused other people of being jealous of his success.
"You the fools," Houston said in the video. "Not me. I know what I'm doing. I ain't in jail. Clearly, I know something, but I'm not going to share with you."
"Now you need to pay me for what I know," he continued.
Meanwhile, Sarasota Police had already subpoenaed his and accused accomplice Linda Lukas' bank account information, according to an arrest report released Friday morning.
When the Herald-Tribune became aware of the Youtube video this past fall, a reporter spoke with Houston and scheduled an interview. Houston did not attend or return phone calls seeking to reschedule the interview Houston missed.
On Tuesday, Manatee County deputies arrested Houston and Lukas on charges stemming from the Sarasota Police department investigation that began late last summer. Houston has been charged with money laundering, scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal identification information, unlawful filing of false documents and obtaining property under false pretenses, according to a Sarasota Police report.
Lukas, who shares an address and bank accounts with Houston, has also been charged with money laundering, scheme to defraud and criminal use of personal identification information.
A phone call to Lukas seeking comment was not immediately returned. Houston remained in the Manatee County jail on Friday afternoon on a $50,000 bond for each charge.
Court documents that would detail future court dates in the criminal case had not been uploaded as of the Herald-Tribune's publication deadline. A Bradenton attorney representing Houston in a civil lawsuit brought by Glenco declined comment on Houston's arrest.
Authorities accused Houston and Lukas of scheming to defraud the Sarasota real estate company after Houston reportedly removed Jim Glenn, 51, and his 77-year-old mother as officers of their company and named himself the chief executive through the state's online system.
The Florida Division of Corporations manages Sunbiz.org, which is the state's business records filing system. However, it accepts all documents submitted to it at face value, according to its website, and has no responsibility to verify the authenticity of documents submitted to it.
Police said Houston then fraudulently obtained two mortgages on the 21 properties owned by Glenco, totaling more than $1 million. Investigators noted that several lease agreements for Glenco properties were signed by Lukas listing her as the landlord. Those agreements were provided to the mortgage companies during the initial loan process.
"The tenant names on these lease agreements did not match up with searches on multiple law enforcement databases regarding the actual individuals who resided at the properties," the affidavit said, adding that "six of the names of the supposed 'tenants' of the properties had the same names of friends with Houston on his Facebook."
Police also said that Lukas and Houston made "numerous" deposits multiple times a day in various bank accounts controlled by Houston, Lukas or both in an "effort to disguise the source of the funds" after two large wire transfers from the two mortgage companies.
"The majority of the TD Bank accounts were depleted to a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars at the time that banking information was obtained," officers noted.
Houston's social media accounts also detail apparent spending on exotic fruits, clothing and frequent trips throughout the state, as well as an apparent purchase of a new Ford F-150 Raptor after he's accused of fraudulently mortgaging Glenco's properties.
Jim Glenn thanked detectives for "their diligent work" in a written statement from his attorney.
Glenn and his mother have sued Houston and companies associated with Houston in an attempt to clear up the title issues that resulted after Houston reportedly mortgaged their properties.
Glenn has spent thousands of dollars on attorneys clearing the title. He's accused Houston of civil theft and is seeking $8.7 million from Houston. Houston has countersued claiming his actions "conferred a monetary benefit upon Glenco" and that the properties' equity will increase because of his actions.
Both mortgage companies have also sued Houston, although they have filed court documents indicating they do not agree with Glenco's attorneys that their mortgages are invalid.
"We are pleased to see (the Sarasota Police Department) uncover the facts and we are optimistic this will help our client move forward and put this whole ordeal behind them," said Don Scarlett, an attorney with Ulrich, Scarlett, Watts & Dean representing Glenco Properties.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Details released in arrest of man accused of hijacking Sarasota business
