- June 30, 2026
On Friday, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested a contractor who stole $40,000 from a Palm Coast couple for home renovations he never completed and spent the money on baseball card purchases instead.
In December 2025, the victims wired $40,000 to Sunshine State Contractor Services, LLC, after signing a General Service Agreement to have work done on their Palm Coast home. The contract called for the work to be completed within three months. Michael Struhar, 43, of St Augustine, the company’s owner, showed up once, removed and painted a single wall, and never returned. The victims’ calls and texts went unanswered, and a certified letter demanding a refund was ignored.
The FCSO General Assignment Unit began investigating after the victims reported the incident to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office in April.
Within days of the wire transfer, the account showed approximately $11,500 in cash and debit-card withdrawals and more than $33,500 in Zelle payments, none of which were spent purchasing materials for the victims’ home. Recurring charges also went to an online auction site, where Struhar collected signed baseball cards. By the end of December, the account was in the negative, and it stayed there nearly every month thereafter.
Struhar’s ex-wife told detectives she had been fielding visits from unpaid subcontractors at her home since December and that Struhar had brushed off the certified letter by texting her, ‘all good, already taken care of.”
Detective Harrington presented the case to the State Attorney's Office, which approved an arrest warrant. The Honorable Judge Distler signed the warrant for grand theft of more than $20,000 with a $50,000 bond.
“This contractor’s version of ‘if you build it, he will come’ was build nothing, take the cash, and buy baseball cards.” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “He painted one wall and called it a day. Contractors who think they can come to Flagler County and pocket someone’s money should think again. Our detectives will relentlessly track down scammers and thieves posing as honest professionals and take them to the Green Roof Inn.”
On Friday, the FCSO Fugitive Apprehension Unit and Problem Area Crime Enforcement (PACE) Unit arrested Struhar for grand theft of more than $20,000. He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he was released on $50,000 bond.
The Flagler Home Builders Association is a local resource for finding licensed builders and contractors and keeps a member directory and a license-verification tool on its website at flaglerhba.com. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation also lets anyone confirm a state license at myfloridalicense.com.
Before signing anything, verify the license, ask for proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and call two or three past customers to ask how the job actually went. Get the full scope of work, payment schedule, start date, and completion date in writing. Reputable contractors do not ask for most of the money up front. A reasonable down payment is fine, but if someone wants the bulk of the contract before any work begins, walk away.
Pay by check or card so the money leaves a paper trail, never in cash, and hold back a final payment until the work is finished and any permits are closed out. Also, get a lien release for each payment made.
The investigation is active and ongoing. Detectives believe Michael Struhar and Sunshine State Contractor Services, LLC, may have additional victims in the area. Anyone who has done business with Struhar or his company and believes they were defrauded is encouraged to contact the FCSO non-emergency line at 386-313-4911.
