St. Lucie County - Tuesday October 24, 2023: Pro Pool Builders owner George Galiszewski of Port St. Lucie has been arrested and jailed on allegations that he took $2.5 million in deposits to build pools for 104 people which he either never completed, or started.
His arrest follows a multi-agency investigation dubbed "Operation Ripple Effect" that began in April 2022 and involved detectives from the Port St. Lucie Police Department, St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office, Martin County Sheriff's Office, Indian River County Sheriff's Office, and Stuart Police Department.
He was taken into custody last week and charged with five felony counts which are:
- RICO - Racketeering Activity
- Money Laundering
- Misapplication of Construction Funds
- First Degree Grand Theft
- Aggravated White Collar Crime
"He was a con man. He was in it for the money, and he didn't care about the victims," said Port St. Lucie Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk during a news conference held last Friday. Galiszewski is currently being held at the St. Lucie County Jail on a $2.5 million dollar bond, "which is quiet appropriate," said the Assistant Chief.
The criminal investigation began after numerous homeowners contacted authorities to report allegations of fraud against Pro Pool Builders, said Assistant Chief Niemczyk. "By no means was he qualified to be a pool contractor." Detectives identified 64 victims in Port St. Lucie, 29 in Martin County, 6 in St. Lucie County, 4 in Indian River County, and 1 in Stuart.
Pro Pool Builders collected the deposits for pool construction between February 2021 and April 2022, but only 3 pools were actually built during that time. 56 victims were left with unfinished pools, and no work was ever begun on the pools that 48 other homeowners had made deposits on. In addition, Galiszewski did not pay $221,000 owed to subcontractors.
Galiszewski closed the business in April 2022 and fled. "He took the victims money and ran to Costa Rica," said Assistant Chief Niemczyk. He had an appetite for expensive restaurants, dating web sites, you name it, fishing gear. It was all personal use."
There is little chance that the victims will get much, if any, of their money back. "I believe most of its gone," said Assistant Chief Niemczyk.