Former Florida resort manager accused of stealing $110K in scheme: Affidavit
SIESTA KEY, Fla. - The former manager of a resort in Sarasota County faces serious charges after investigators say he stole more than $110,000 from his employer.
The backstory:
According to an arrest affidavit from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, the investigation into Billy Prater, 39, began in November 2024.
Investigators say the owner of the Siesta Key Palms Resort discovered that Prater had been giving away free rooms and canceling rooms in the hotel's system, then pocketing the money.
Mugshot of Billy Prater. Courtesy: Sarasota County Jail.
Prater also hired a man to do handyman jobs at the resort, according to SCSO, and paid him using such methods as CashApp and PayPal, along with the company payroll. It's not known how much work the man actually did or exactly how much Prater allegedly paid him.
Investigators say Prater also added extra stays at the resort to FEMA-approved accounts, even though the guests didn't stay those nights, and the owner eventually had to pay FEMA back more than $7,000.
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The affidavit shows that an audit uncovered a total of $110,470.19 had been stolen between the end of 2023 and late 2024.
Investigators arrested Prater in May on a charge of grand theft (over $100,000).
What's next:
Jail records show Prater has been released on $50,000 bond.
The Source: This story was written with information from an arrest affidavit filed by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
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