FBI nabs former Winter Park businessman for fraud

A former Winter Park businessman has been arrested in Texas for alleged fraud, a crime he became known for in the city of culture and heritage.

Justin Spearman was arrested on July 6 by the FBI in connection with wire fraud, according to The Dallas Morning News. Few details have been revealed about the alleged crime, but The Dallas Morning News reported that he made his first appearance in court the next day.

Spearman grew up in Winter Park, graduating from Trinity Prep High School’s class of 2006. His LinkedIn page lists him as a Petroleum Landman/Broker at Justin T. Spearman Petroleum Land Services, LLC, but a 2014 lawsuit lists him as a perpetrator of fraud.

Orange County Circuit Court records show that Spearman had been hit with a lawsuit claiming fraud last October, filed by Orange County resident Gloria Cockman.

According to Cockman’s lawsuit, Spearman “lied and misrepresented to Gloria that her money was being invested in various oil and gas leases, investments and real property in Texas which would generate for Gloria substantial royalties, income and profits, together with a return of her invested capital. In fact, the defendants were spending Gloria’s money for their own personal use and benefit, including to finance Spearman’s lavish lifestyle and to purchase numerous luxury automobiles, including BMW, Bentley, Porsche and Range Rover automobiles.”

The lawsuit continues to claim that Spearman produced fake emails and documents to deceive Cockman, who suffered financial losses in excess of $1.7 million.

Orange County Circuit Judge Alice Blackwell ordered on June 29 that Cockman be awarded $9,298.25 in recovered damages.

Cockman’s attorney, John Brennan, told the Orlando Sentinel that there had been “six or seven victims locally” who had been affected by Spearman’s fraud.

Maitland resident Bob Aungst said he was all too familiar with Spearman’s shady behavior. Aungst, who works as a private event chef, met Spearman at an event he was catering last year. Aungst said Spearman asked to cater a private birthday party at his home in fall of 2014, as well as become his personal chef. Following a successful event, Aungst said Spearman wrote him a $10,000 check – payment for the event and an advance for his personal chef services.

Upon trying to deposit the check however, Aungst said he learned that it was tied to a closed bank account.

“I go to that bank and after about 45 minutes of conversation they tell me that the check is no good, the account’s been closed and that I have to reach out to the account holder to secure funds,” he said.

Aungst would later receive his due payment for catering the birthday party, but ultimately declined Spearman’s offer to hire him as his personal chef.

Upon learning of Spearman’s recent arrest, Aungst said he was surprised he wasn’t arrested sooner in Orange County.

“I just feel bad about the people that really got [scammed] in it,” Aungst said.

“There are a million movies about how people do this, but I still can’t understand that in this day and age we can’t create laws that enable law enforcement to pursue people like this.”

The FBI did not respond for a request to comment on Spearman’s recent arrest.