Associate in Joel Greenberg Case Pleads Guilty

October 21, 2022 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements Social Share

There is a new update in a case relating to the Joel Greenberg case we have previously covered. One of Greenberg’s associates has agreed to plead guilty to five of the 41 charges against him, in exchange for cooperating with federal prosecutors.

We will provide details of the case along with information on fraud charges in Florida.

What was the Case?

Keith Ingersoll, the former associate of Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg, has pleaded guilty to several federal charges against him that involved a real estate fraud worth millions of dollars.

Greenberg hired Ingersoll after getting elected as the Seminole County tax collector in 2016, as the two had been longtime friends. Ingersoll worked as a real estate advisor and was in charge of flipping properties.

The guilty plea comes only days after Ingersoll’s business partner, James Adamczyk, passed away from throat cancer. Adamczyk was Ingersoll’s partner and codefendant in the case and was pleading not guilty.

According to the court records, Ingersoll, Adamczyk, and others worked together to scam a wealthy investor out of $12.7 million they claimed to use for large land purchases around the U.S. The alleged land spanned across Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois, and the Bahamas.

Ingersoll and Adamczyk created different stories for the land’s purpose, including building a hospital in Nebraska. The two said they would flip the properties and promised the investor a portion of the profit. According to the prosecution, forged documents were created to make the deal appear legitimate.

Adamczyk created a company to purchase an old bank building in Winter Springs for $680,000. Only hours later he sold the property to Greenberg’s office for $942,000—which prosecutors said “was falsely fraudulently inflated” to Ingersoll and the other individuals involved.

In 2017, Ingersoll allegedly chartered a private jet to a casino with public officials on three separate occasions. Prosecutors say Ingersoll was given more than $1,000 in casino chips as a kickback.

Ingersoll has pleaded guilty to the wire fraud charges for the aforementioned transaction but did not mention Greenberg or the agency by name. However, the details of the document matched the bank building purchase.

The charges against Ingersoll include two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of attempted wire fraud, and a charge of aggravated identity theft. Ingersoll faces the possibility of over 20 years in federal prison. In addition, he would be required to forfeit the money he received from the fraud scheme. The plea agreement estimated that Ingersoll profited $9.8 million from the fraud scheme.

Fraud Charges in Florida

Florida Statute section 817.034 is titled Florida Communications Fraud Act, and in it, the Legislation aims to prevent more people from being defrauded and has consolidated former statutes concerning schemes to defraud and organized fraud.

The Statute defines “scheme to defraud” as a systematic, ongoing course of conduct with the intent to defraud one or more persons, or with the intent to obtain property from one or more persons by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises or willful misrepresentations of a future act.

Florida law explains that a person is guilty of organized fraud if they engage in a scheme to defraud and obtains property from one or more persons by false or fraudulent pretenses. This offense has the following penalties based on varying characteristics:

• If the value of the property obtained or endeavored by the defendant had an aggregated value below $20,000, it is considered a third-degree felony. A third-degree felony has a penalty of up to a $5,000 fine and up to five years in prison.
• If the value of the property obtained or endeavored by the defendant had an aggregated value between $20,000 and less than $50,000, it is considered a second-degree felony. A second-degree felony has a penalty of up to a $10,000 fine and up to fifteen years in prison.
• If the value of the property obtained or endeavored by the defendant had an aggregated value of $50,000 or more, it is considered a first-degree felony. A first-degree felony has a penalty of up to a $10,000 fine and up to 30 years in prison.

To find out more about fraud and white-collar crimes, read our page here.

Finding a Defense Attorney in Tallahassee, Florida

White-collar crime charges can result in harsh consequences if convicted. If you or a loved one have been accused of a crime, it is in your best interest to seek out the legal advice of a skilled defense attorney in your area. Don Pumphrey and his team at Pumphrey Law Firm have experience representing clients across the state for various criminal charges. Contact us today for a free consultation regarding your case at (850) 681-7777 or leave an online message on our website.

Written by Karissa Key

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