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Flagler contractor charged after investigators allege $40K scam
A Flagler County contractor has been arrested after investigators said he accepted a $40,000 down payment for a home renovation project, completed little work and spent much of the money on personal purchases, including baseball cards.
PALM COAST, Fla. - A Palm Coast couple contacted the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office after they say a local contractor vanished with their $40,000 down payment.
Money that investigators say ultimately funded a baseball card hobby rather than home renovations.
Contractor disappeared, homeowners say
The backstory:
In December 2025, the couple signed an agreement with Sunshine State Contractor Services, LLC, wiring the substantial down payment to have work done on their home. According to the contract, the renovations were slated to be completed within three months.
However, the couple says the man behind the company, 43-year-old Michael Struhar, came to their home only once to remove and paint a single wall before disappearing.
The investigation
What they're saying:
After several unanswered attempts to contact him, the couple sent a certified letter demanding a refund. When that was ignored, Flagler County deputies launched an investigation.
Tracking the money took time, as investigators had to follow a digital paper trail to build the case.
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"We have to get certified bank records for our state attorney. So you have to issue subpoenas. You have to wait for the bank or the cash app company to give you the records that you need so you can prove the intent and what this money was spent on. Once we were able to get that, then it moved fairly quick," said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
Investigators say within days of the wire transfer, Struhar’s account showed approximately $11,500 in cash and debit card withdrawals, and more than $33,500 in Zelle payments. Deputies noted that none of the funds were spent on purchasing materials for the victims’ home. Instead, deputies say financial reports show recurring charges went to an online auction site, where Struhar allegedly collected signed baseball cards.
Todd Whitaker, a baseball card expert, says the hobby is known for eating up a lot of cash.
"They can go into the millions, but in our store, we have them from 10 cents to 10 thousand," Whitaker said, noting the addictive nature of collecting. "I’ve heard stories of people running up credit card bills, maxing out their credit cards."
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Body camera video captured deputies taking Struhar into custody, instructing him to put his hands behind his back and informing him he was being arrested for grand theft.
Struhar was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and charged with grand theft of more than $20,000. He was later released on a $50,000 bond.
Authorities are reminding homeowners to verify licenses and ask for proof of general liability before handing over any money to avoid being taken advantage of by fraudulent contractors.
Detectives believe there may still be more victims in the area. This is an active and ongoing investigation, and anyone who has done business with Struhar or his company is urged to contact the Flagler County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Todd Whitaker, Baseball Card Expert,