A St. Johns County man was apprehended by federal authorities for allegedly embezzling close to $700,000 from a construction firm based in Jacksonville.
John Lucidi, 44, finds himself again entangled in legal issues following his arrest by federal investigators. He stands accused of stealing around $660,000 from his employer, a construction firm in Jacksonville. Lucidi, who had access to the company’s VyStar Credit Union account, allegedly siphoned funds into his personal Square account. The federal indictment details that from December 2018 to June 2022, he conducted unauthorized transfers from both the VyStar account and a fraudulent corporate American Express account to his own benefit.
This is not Lucidi’s first encounter with the law. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to charges related to a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud scheme. During that operation, he allegedly orchestrated deals where buyers, sometimes his family members, purchased properties at inflated prices, receiving kickbacks post-closing. The fraudulent activities led to substantial losses for mortgage lenders, amounting to approximately $7 million.
After serving time in federal prison and his release in 2017, Lucidi attempted to turn his life around by starting a flavored alcoholic drink venture. He also initiated a non-profit organization aimed at supporting reformed convicts re-entering society. Despite these new ventures, his past legal entanglements seem to have caught up with him again.
Lucidi has pleaded not guilty to the current charges of wire fraud. Following his arraignment, he was released on bond, with conditions including surrendering his passport and reporting any new credit lines. A status conference is scheduled for January 21, with the jury trial set for February 3, 2025.
The case against John Lucidi underscores the persistent nature of his legal challenges and raises questions about financial oversight and accountability within businesses.
Source: News4jax
