Jury trial underway for husband of Amore Pools owner charged with contractor fraud

Lamaur Stancil, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read

VERO BEACH — The trial for one of two people charged with the widespread fraud allegations by a pool contractor began Tuesday and is expected to last through the end of the month, attorneys said.

Brian Washburn, whose wife was the owner of Amore Pools while he told customers he was an employee, was charged in October with 16 crimes, including seven counts of identity fraud, four counts of money laundering, insurance fraud, contracting without a license, false statement of compliance and scheme to defraud.

Since October, Washburn was held without bail at the Indian River County. A probation violation prevented him from being eligible for bail.

Debra Neger's unfinished pool on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Hobe Sound. Neger hired Amore Pools in July of 2020 and was told the project would take four to five months and now a year later with multiple structural issues she has terminated the contract and hired a different company to complete the job.
Debra Neger's unfinished pool on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in Hobe Sound. Neger hired Amore Pools in July of 2020 and was told the project would take four to five months and now a year later with multiple structural issues she has terminated the contract and hired a different company to complete the job.

The Amore Pools saga: Unfinished pools, money wasted; how will Amore customers recover after company owners' arrests?

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More: FDLE charges Amore Pools with defrauding $2M from hundreds in 6 Florida counties

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement said the couple systematically defrauded customers across the Treasure Coast and elsewhere by fraudulently establishing the business, then agreeing to building backyard swimming pools but never completing them.

Amore' had an office in St. Lucie County, while the couple lives in Indian River County.

Attorney Edward Abare of Vero Beach, who is providing Washburn's defense, said he expects the case to take about 10 days to complete. There's no court sessions on June 20 and 21, he said, which should push the trial completion into the last week of June.

The jury was selected Monday at the courthouse in Vero Beach.

The Office of Statewide Prosecution is prosecuting the case against the Washburns.

Washburn's wife, Crystal Washburn, was charged with the same crimes as her husband last fall. She remained at the Indian River County Jail in lieu of $1.05 million bail. No trial date for her case has been set.

Lamaur Stancil is the Treasure Coast regional economy reporter covering business and industries, including retail, tourism and hospitality. Contact him at 321-987-7179 or lamaur.stancil@tcpalm.com and follow him at Lamaur Stancil on Facebook and @TCPalmLStancil on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Trial underway for husband of Amore Pools owner charged with fraud