WINTER PARK, Fla. — A 74-year-old Winter Park man has been arrested in connection with a multi-million dollar investment fraud scheme, authorities say.
Jerald Benjamin Clawson was taken into custody on August 28, following an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) that began in October 2023.
According to officials, Clawson solicited cash and bridge loans from multiple victims, claiming the funds would be used for real estate deals with promised high returns. However, those returns never materialized, and investigators allege that Clawson instead pocketed several million dollars.
FDLE agents in Fort Myers secured an arrest warrant, and Clawson was booked into the Orange County Jail, where he remains in custody.
Authorities have not yet released the number of victims or the total financial loss, but the investigation is ongoing.
