Man accused of posing as pool contractor in Cape Coral, stealing more than $78K

A man is accused of posing as a pool company owner and taking thousands of dollars from people after telling them he would build them a pool without having the proper license.

Angel Santana is now facing several charges, including fraud. He has been released on bond.

WINK News spoke to a victim who is now out a lot of money. They have a beautiful backyard in Cape Coral, but when the homeowners look at it, they see what’s missing; their pool.

“This was going to be our forever house with our grandkids going in the pool and really enjoying sunsets and all the beautiful weather that Florida has to offer but now it’s out of the question,” said a homeowner who fell victim to Santana’s alleged scheme.

Out of the question, they say, because of Santana.

Cape Coral police say that Santana schemed to defraud them and started working on pools when he didn’t have the license to do so.

The couple WINK News spoke to were too worried about putting their name and face out there, but they wanted their story told.

Their big mistake is that they paid Santana $15,000 upfront.

“We had just moved here, and we were making friends and people we’re saying, ‘oh, we’re getting a pool,’ and he gave us a good price, and that’s how we found him,” said the couple.

Santana never started on the pool. Cape Coral police say he just took the money.

Detectives later linked Santana to three other victims and believe more are out there.

In their report, detectives say the losses total more than $78,000.

“My message is do your due diligence. Do your research. If you got a gut feeling, go with it. Don’t get wrapped up with everything like we did with the excitement of it. Take your time,” said the couple.

If you’re looking to get work done on your home, double-check that someone is licensed in Florida before handing over any checks. You can do so by visiting the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website.