Clearwater Construction: $736,000 Diversion

William Botelho, 40, was taken into custody in Clearwater on Wednesday. The Clearwater Police Department charged the St. Petersburg man with grand theft after determining that he diverted funds intended for a church construction project. Botelho was booked into the Pinellas County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

The financial arrangement began in August 2023 when Unity Church of Clearwater contracted with Custom Building Solutions. Botelho owned and operated the company at the time. The church paid Botelho $832,175, representing 20% of the total contract value. These funds were designated for the purchase of building supplies and payments to subcontractors.

Police subpoenas indicate that the money was not used as intended. Between August 2023 and March 2026, only $95,630 was applied to the church project. The remaining $736,545 was unaccounted for in the project accounts. Police records show that Botelho spent $176,574 on personal expenses, including restaurants and vacations. He paid $58,556 to his condominium association and $24,400 to various law firms.

Additional expenditures included $100,000 for a Mercedes, $65,000 in payments to Ford Motor Company, and $37,661 deposited into a separate account. Botelho also used $15,251 toward a Chase home mortgage and withdrew or paid himself by check for $114,700. By March 2026, only $56,078 remained in the project account.

In July 2026, police served Botelho with a demand letter for the unspent balance. The report states that he did not respond to the demand. The account balance had fallen to $56,078 by that time, leaving the majority of the initial payment unallocated to the construction site.

Botelho's case is now before the Pinellas County legal system. The charges stem from the gap between the $832,175 payment and the $95,630 spent on the project. The investigation confirmed that the funds were used for personal benefit rather than the contracted church build.