Orlando fraud – Steven Harry Minard was charged with scheme to defraud and unregistered security sales after an alleged $1 million investment fraud. He was arrested in Hawaii and is expected to be extradited to Florida.
A high-profile Florida investment fraud case is taking a dramatic turn after the alleged suspect was arrested in Hawaii, underscoring how state prosecutors say they can reach fugitives across the country.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that 57-year-old Steven Harry Minard. of Orlando. has been charged with one count of scheme to defraud and one count related to the sale of an unregistered security.. Uthmeier said Minard allegedly defrauded a prominent investor out of $1 million. drawing attention to what officials describe as a sophisticated effort to lure investors with a promised development venture.
According to Uthmeier. investigators from the Florida Office of Financial Regulation. Homeland Security Investigations. and the New York El Dorado Task Force traced Minard’s conduct to his promotion of a project he allegedly described as a new downtown Orlando entertainment and urban renewal development called “Orlando World Live.” Investigators say the pitch included projections that the venture could generate up to $1.6 billion in revenue.
The case hinges on officials’ assertion that the project was never real.. A release from Uthmeier states that a forensic financial analysis and interviews with more than a dozen witnesses led investigators to conclude there was no such development underway.. Investigators also alleged that no permit applications or contracts were ever filed with the City of Orlando. undercutting the premise on which the investment scheme depended.
Officials further allege that money provided by the victim was diverted away from the supposed project.. The news release says funds were allegedly redirected to cover Minard’s unrelated business debts and personal expenses. portraying the scheme as less about development and more about financial self-enrichment.
Uthmeier said the alleged fraud began to unravel when Minard became aware he was under investigation. The Orlando resident reportedly fled to Honolulu, Hawaii, prompting officials to coordinate across jurisdictions to locate him and bring him into custody.
Statewide prosecution officials say they helped alert law enforcement in Hawaii, leading to Minard’s arrest at an airport there. He was reportedly trying to leave Hawaii by boarding an airplane flight to Houston, Texas, when he was taken into custody.
“This case exemplifies the reach of our Statewide Prosecutors. ” Uthmeier said. framing the arrest as proof that coordinated state. local. and federal efforts can bring alleged fraudsters back to Florida.. The attorney general emphasized that the goal is to ensure suspects face justice in the state where the alleged wrongdoing was carried out.
Florida Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Russell C.. Weigel III said the arrest reflects what he described as effective inter-agency coordination.. Weigel said the case demonstrates the value of turning leads into arrests and vowed to keep working with partners to combat investment fraud. with the aim of protecting Floridians from scammers and other alleged bad actors.
Minard is currently in jail in Honolulu, and officials said he is expected to be extradited back to Florida. Once returned, the case will be prosecuted by Robert Finkbeiner in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit, covering Central Florida.
While the announcement centers on an arrest and charges. the dispute also highlights a recurring challenge for regulators: investment fraud that uses grand plans and financial projections to appear credible.. Officials’ claims about the absence of permits and contracts. coupled with alleged misdirection of funds. point to how investigators often rely on documentation and witness accounts to test whether a promised project exists.
The cross-state response also reflects the practical reality of modern enforcement.. When a suspect flees beyond state lines. prosecutors and investigators must coordinate quickly to prevent further escape. gather the evidence needed for prosecution. and move through extradition processes that can take time.
For investors and regulators, the case underscores the importance of registration and verifiable project details when money is solicited.. Officials allege Minard sold an unregistered security and promoted a development effort that did not materialize. raising questions about what safeguards investors had and what red flags may have been missed before the scheme collapsed.
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