Banned For Life – Olympus Pools Owner Agrees To AG Settlement

Olympus Pools owner James Staten has been handed a lifetime ban from the pool business as part of a civil lawsuit settlement, according to the Florida Attorney General’s office. The company, based in Pasco County, closed its doors in 2021 after an extensive investigation by Better Call Behnken uncovered numerous unfinished pools left in various Tampa Bay area counties. The investigation triggered multiple state investigations, leading to Attorney General Ashley Moody suing Olympus Pools and James Staten in the fall of 2021.

Olympus Pool Owner Accepts Lifetime Ban From Pool Industry

Moody revealed that as part of the settlement, Staten has agreed to permanently dissolve Olympus Pools and accept a lifetime ban on managing any pool company. The company itself admitted to violating Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. Moody emphasized the significance of this outcome, stating, “We are in the thick of summer when many Floridians want to enjoy their pools with friends and family, including many Florida consumers who fell victim to this owner’s greed and were left with holes in their backyard. My Consumer Protection Division shut down this company and secured a lifetime ban for this owner to ensure he will not operate any pool business in Florida, ever again.”

While the civil settlement has been reached, the AG’s office is still conducting a criminal investigation into the matter. In relation to the ongoing Olympus Pools bankruptcy case, court documents reveal that the settlement enables the AG’s office to pursue a million-dollar claim. This claim will proceed as part of the bankruptcy case despite the initial desire to obtain a $10 million judgment. Staten’s inability to demonstrate sufficient funds led to the revised amount.

The repercussions of Olympus Pools’ closure and unfinished projects left homeowners in the Tampa Bay area scrambling to find alternative companies to complete their pools. Many customers had already paid Olympus Pools in full for their projects, leaving them in a precarious situation. Some of these customers have expressed mixed feelings about the settlement.

Christopher Deale, who had to hire another pool company to finish his project after paying Olympus Pools, expressed disappointment with the attorney general’s handling of the situation. He questioned the absence of charges and raised concerns about the money trail, stating, “The other issue is where is the money trail? This doesn’t just disappear.” While the AG’s office has pursued a judgment of $1 million in the bankruptcy case, several customers who lost tens of thousands of dollars feel that the settlement is insufficient and fails to hold Staten accountable for his actions.

The unresolved feelings among affected customers highlight the need for stringent measures and comprehensive investigations to prevent similar incidents in the future. It remains to be seen how the ongoing criminal investigation and bankruptcy case will further unfold, but the lifetime ban imposed on Staten serves as a reminder that deceptive practices in the pool business will not go unpunished.