Man accused of stealing $300K from Hurricane Ian victims in cabinet scheme vanishes before hearing

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

A man accused of fraud failed to appear in court, Southwest Florida Crimestoppers says.

According to the Lee County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Kane, 59, was initially arrested on fraud charges. Deputies say Kane accepted several large payments for home repairs after Hurricane Ian, totaling up to more than $300,000. They say he never showed up to do any of the work.

Crimestoppers says once Kane received his payments, he attempted to launder the money through cryptocurrency accounts. Financial records show that Kane moved more than half a million dollars through these accounts.

Officers from the Fort Myers Police Department say he was finally tracked down in Pennsylvania. After his arrest, Kane missed his scheduled court date.

Kane is 6 feet tall, weighs 180 pounds and was last known to be living in Naples.

If you have information concerning this case, you are asked to contact Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477), on the P3 app or on its website. You can remain anonymous, and if your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.

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