FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – A Palm Coast couple wired $40,000 to a contractor for home renovations that were supposed to be finished in three months. Detectives say the work barely started — and the money went elsewhere, including signed baseball card purchases.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said Michael Struhar, 43, of Palm Coast, owner of Sunshine State Contractor Services, signed an agreement with the homeowners in December 2025 to do work on their home.
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Investigators say Struhar showed up once, removed and painted a single wall, then never returned. The couple’s calls and texts went unanswered, and a certified letter demanding a refund was ignored, the agency said.
After the victims reported the case to FCSO in April, the General Assignment Unit began investigating. Records showed that within days of the wire transfer, the account reflected about $11,500 in cash and debit withdrawals and more than $33,500 in Zelle payments — with no evidence the funds were used to buy materials for the Palm Coast job, according to the sheriff’s office.
Detectives also found recurring charges to an online auction site where Struhar allegedly collected signed baseball cards. By the end of December, the account was negative and stayed there for most months afterward, deputies said.
Struhar’s ex-wife told detectives she’d been contacted by unpaid subcontractors and said Struhar brushed off the certified letter, texting her, “all good, already taken care of.”
The State Attorney’s Office approved an arrest warrant for grand theft over $20,000, with bond set at $50,000. Struhar was arrested Friday and later released on 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.”
The investigation remains active; anyone who believes they may be a victim is asked to call FCSO at 386-313-4911.