Wanted! Building contractor who took a senior citizen’s $310,000 and then skipped town
(April 18, 2025) Yesterday, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office (VSO,) headquartered in DeLand, Florida, announced that they are looking for 39-year-old Ryan Matthew Paul, who is wanted on charges of grand theft, scheme to defraud, and exploitation of the elderly.
Ryan Paul is an Orlando resident, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
Background: In January 2024, a structure fire destroyed the home of a DeLand senior citizen. Several months later, after receiving an insurance settlement, the victim contacted Orlando-based contractor Ryan Paul, the owner of Beacon Restoration, regarding rebuilding the home so she could spend her remaining years in the home she raised her children in.
In March of 2024, Paul convinced the woman to give him an advance check for $239,000 to purchase materials. Adding insult to injury, in August 2024, he convinced her a second time to give him another check for $71,000.
With all that money in his pocket, Paul never applied for a building permit, delivered materials, or performed any work on the home. The victim has been unable to reach Paul for several months.
The woman, who survives on a fixed income of her limited Social Security benefit, emailed Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood on March 5, 2025, asking for help. On April 11, after a thorough investigation, detectives with the VSO Financial Crimes Unit obtained a warrant for Paul’s arrest on the following charges:
- Organized scheme to defraud,
- Exploitation of the elderly, and
- three counts of Grand Theft
Those charges carry a combined weight of a $233,500 bond with nationwide pickup.
Paul’s last known address is in Orlando, which was checked; but neighbors report he only stays there sporadically. He has family in Altamonte Springs, where police have been notified of his wanted status. Law enforcement in Volusia, Orange, and Seminole counties are asking for your help in locating Ryan Paul.
If you have information regarding the whereabouts of Ryan Matthew Paul, please contact Det. Bill Weaver at wweaver@volusiasheriff.gov or call 386-254-1537, extension 11372.
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(Source and images: Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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