Former Naples Man Arrested in Alleged Investment Fraud Scheme

Thomas Amendola was arrested on three felony counts including organized scheme to defraud, investment fraud, and grand theft for his alleged involvement in an investment fraud scheme.

Amendola, an award-winning golfer, purportedly solicited $500,000 from friends and neighbors within his private golfing community for investment in his company Doza Investments, LLC, a formerly licensed investment advisory firm. Amendola supposedly represented that investor funds would be used to invest in a series of special purpose acquisition companies, operating in the space and telecoms sectors, and that investors would receive founders shares in the companies.

After years of Amendola allegedly claiming various issues related to the investments, the investors formally demanded withdrawal of their investment and the return on their capital. Amendola eventually purportedly admitted that he would be unable to return their investment capital but would soon be selling his personal residence and would return their investments, plus 2 percent simple interest. He sold his Naples house and moved to Tampa. However, Amendola supposedly continued to provide investors with various explanations regarding the unavailability of funds and allegedly failed to return any portion of the original investment capital. The OFR investigation revealed that Amendola purportedly used investor funds for various personal expenses.

The OFR was the lead investigative agency, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Florida Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division. The case is being prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney in Collier County.