CAPE CORAL, Fla (WINK) - More than a year and a half after a Cape Coral homebuilding company was raided and shut down, investigators have taken a major step in the case.
The Cape Coral Police Department has now sent the findings of its investigation into Beattie Development to the State Attorney’s Office for review. Prosecutors will decide whether any criminal charges will be filed.
The company and its owner, Paul Beattie, have been accused by former customers of taking millions of dollars from homeowners without finishing their homes.
The investigation began after Cape Coral Police raided Beattie Development’s office in Cape Coral. Since then, dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the company. Court records show Beattie Development filed for liquidation while carrying millions of dollars in debt.
Many homeowners who hired the company say they were left with unfinished homes and major financial losses.
Mary Fitzgerald said she and her family lost roughly $400,000.
“The amount of money he took from us was immense,” Fitzgerald said.
Some homeowners say they eventually moved into their homes — but only after hiring new contractors and paying significant additional costs to complete construction.
Bill Lockwood, another former customer, said the financial toll was devastating.
“We paid for everything twice,” he said. “And you know, it was not good. We had sleepless nights. When you lose that much money, you feel like a fool.”
Paul Beattie has not been criminally charged.
In a statement to WINK Investigates Thursday, Simon A Gaugush, Beattie’s attorney said in an email the company’s financial collapse was driven by economic pressures beyond its control.
"The insolvency of Beattie Development Corporation (BDC) is an unfortunate reality of the business world. BDC enjoyed success for many years. Since 2009, BDC and Paul Beattie built or remodeled over 2,800 homes in Southwest Florida. But with COVID-19’s detrimental impact on the economy, soaring labor costs, labor shortages, supply scarcities, increased supply costs, and Hurricane Ian’s devastation to southwest Florida, BDC suffered financially," Gaugush wrote.
The statement went on to say, "Its collapse was an unfortunate side effect of these uncontrollable market conditions. We understand that customers have been deeply affected by BDC’s insolvency. Every day that weighs heavily on Paul Beattie, who took pride in delivering quality housing for thousands of customers for years and enjoyed an impeccable reputation in the housing industry and the community.”
Many former customers say the situation still weighs heavily on them as well. While some have finally moved into their homes, they say the emotional and financial toll of the ordeal remains.
“It doesn't seem like he's suffering, and a lot of us have dramatically,” Roberta Murphy, another former customer, said.
Several homeowners told WINK Investigates they no longer expect to recover the money they lost, but they are hoping for accountability.
“I know we're not going to get any money,” Lockwood said. “We just want to see some justice for the money that he took.”
“I think really the bottom line is we just want to see him punished,” Murphy said. “It feels like he's just gone on with his life, and it's not fair. A lot of us have dipped into our savings, dipped into our retirement.”
The State Attorney’s Office will now review the investigation submitted by Cape Coral Police and determine whether criminal charges will be filed.
You can find a full timeline of WINK News’ coverage of the Beattie Development investigation below.
