An Ormond Beach man is in jail after Volusia County deputies said he was caught running a bogus charity for military veterans and tried to use a selfie with Sheriff Mike Chitwood to help boost profits.
Deputies opened an investigation a couple of weeks ago after the suspect took a selfie with the sheriff and posted it online.
Chitwood wasn't happy when he found out the suspect used his photo on a bogus charity website.
Volusia County deputies claim Christopher Blake, 46, scammed dozens of people out of at least $20,000, saying the money was going to help military veterans.
But Blake said that's not true.
VOLUSIA COUNTY: Fla. — Chitwood did not mince words in describing Blake, in light of what he's accused of.
"He's a scumbag," Chitwood said.
Chitwood said it all started a couple of weeks ago when Blake asked for a selfie. Deputies said Blake then posted the selfie with Chitwood to a bogus charity website to make the site appear more credible.
"The next morning, I received about five phone calls from different people who had dealings with him." Chitwood said.
That's when deputies opened an investigation. Blake claimed to run a charity for military veterans called Second Chance Veterans Foundation.
Investigators said Blake hosted a charity golf tournament at Debary Golf and Country Club on Oct 28.
According to arrest documents 40 people attended the event and they each paid Blake $100 to play golf and eat lunch.
The documents say that Blake did not pay the $6,500 he owed to the golf course and kept making excuses and promises he would pay. Deputies say Blake eventually handed over a check but it bounced.
"Everything was lining his pockets and he was going to run this scam until he got locked up,"
Chitwood
said.
Faye Crow is one of dozens of people the Volusia County Sheriff's Office says were fooled by Blakes alleged scheme.
Crow is the property manager for the Daytona Beach building where Blake leased an office to operate his foundation.
She says Blake paid one month of rent, but then the money stopped coming.
"He was convincing," she said. "We believed him.
"We kind of still believed in his cause because he had a good story, so we moved him into an external, like another general space, out of his office."
Despite promises of money coming soon, Crow said Blake never paid another cent.
"(He had) lots of excuses," she said. "Telling us, 'Oh, we've got this fundraiser going on. We've got a golf tournament that's happening and it's almost there.'"
Blake is facing a charge of operating an organized scheme to defraud.
Cox Media Group
