Renovations By McCullen LLC Owner Arrested For Defrauding Elderly People
The owner of Renovations by McCullen LLC, John Paul McCullen, 53, was arrested on August 23, 2024, and has three active cases on two counts of grand theft, two counts of exploiting the elderly, two counts of engaging in a contract business without certification, and one count of fraudulently using credit cards.
Case 0:
In August 2023, McCullen reportedly used a position of trust he had with his grandma to access her credit cards.
The alleged victim was a 90-year-old blind and deaf woman. The sworn complaint says she looked past McCullen’s use of her funds because she raised him.
The victim was hospitalized in May 2023. During the month she spent in recovery from her hip injury, McCullen reportedly spent an estimated $10,072 of her funds.
On June 27, 2023, McCullen’s grandmother filed a police report.
On July 20, 2023, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Officer Justin Torres made contact with McCullen’s grandma. She said she was worried about her grandson because he has “substance abuse and anger issues.”
McCullen told a victim advocate he “did spend some of [his grandma’s] money but not as much as [she] stated.”
On August 11, 2023, Torres made contact with McCullen’s grandma again, and she told him McCullen said he was “sorry” and that she didn’t want him to go to jail.
Torres wrote that he believed McCullen was manipulating his grandma so he wouldn't get charged.
McCullen was being charged with grand theft, exploiting the elderly, and fraudulently using credit cards; however, the case was officially dropped in the third week of November 2023.
Case 1:
From March 20, 2023, through June 15, 2023, McCullen’s business was subject to an investigation by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
The complainant reported she hired McCullan for a kitchen renovation job costing $7,060. McCullen.
DBPR Investigator Alice Leis reported the “proof of payment shows $6,560 paid. [The] job was abandoned, and [the] kitchen area was left damaged…. A search of DBPR records reflects no license for the subject or the business.”
Leis went on to report that McCullen was not licensed for plumbing services, despite the job he was hired for including plumbing services.
In a separately filed investigation from April 4, 2023, through June 15, 2023, the same complainant alleged that McCullen was not legally qualified to be an electrical contractor despite being hired for electrical contracting services. Leis reported that VERSA licensing records proved the victim’s claims.
McCullen was charged with two counts of engaging in a contract business without certification.
Case 2:
In the first week of November 2023, McCullen reportedly victimized his grandmother again, taking her social security payment.
“[McCullen] stole $1,075 [out of $1,638] from the victim’s limited funds,” reported Torres, writing, “The victim is on the verge of getting evicted from her apartment again because of [McCullen].”
McCullen’s grandma told Torres she wanted to move forward with charges because of the repeating pattern.
McCullen’s grandma told GPD and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) that during November 2023 McCullen had shown up to her apartment at 3:00 a.m. and started going through belongings in search of her debit card.
McCullen woke his grandma up and asked for her debit card so he could “purchase groceries” for her. McCullen’s grandma reported he got “agitated and loud” after she asked why he needed her debit card at 3:00 a.m.
Banking statements obtained by the DCF show McCullen withdrew over $1,075 from the victim’s account from November 3, 2023, through November 6, 2023.
McCullen was charged with grand theft, exploiting the elderly, and fraudulently using credit cards.
Case 3:
On August 29, 2023, McCullen entered a $4,100 work contract with a 68-year-old man who gave him a down payment of $1,400. McCullen reportedly cashed the check the same day.
On September 16, 2023, McCullen texted the victim he’d show up soon to start the work but needed money for supplies. The victim gave McCullen a $188 check, which he reportedly cashed the same day. McCullen never showed up.
On November 15, 2023, the victim asked McCullen when the work would begin. McCullen responded that he’d been in the hospital with bad news and that the work would start soon.
On December 25, 2023, the victim asked how McCullen was doing and when the work would start. McCullen never responded to the man again.
McCullen was charged with grand theft and exploiting the elderly.
Arrests:
McCullen was arrested and charged for his first two cases on August 23, 2024.
McCullen was booked for his third case on August 28, 2024.
McCullen’s total bond has been set at $145,000.
Reports:
