On Thursday afternoon, the Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) made an announcement regarding the arrest of a pool company owner. The accused has been charged with scamming more than $2.5 million from a total of 104 people.
Investigators have reported that George Galiszewski, who is 59 years old, has only managed to build three pools in a span of 14 months, and has left subcontractors with a debt of $221,875.60. Galiszewski has been charged with five felony allegations, which include racketeering, money laundering, misapplication of construction funds, first-degree grand theft, and aggravated white-collar crime.
PSLPD Assistant Chief Leo Niemczyk accused him of being a liar and solely focused on making money, without any consideration for the victims.
Pro Pool Builders, the firm owned by the accused, reportedly failed to complete the 104 pools that were commissioned to them, leading to charges against him.
Stuart native Phillip Everett was one of the victims of the incident. When asked about his experience, he expressed his frustration to CBS12 News and said, “It makes me angry. In the end, we ended up paying almost $25,000 more than our original contract to get our pool completed.”
Everett stated that he had inked the agreement with the company in June 2021, and the project had kicked off a few months later in September. However, come April of the following year, Galiszewski had disappeared, as per his account.
The investigation was initiated by the authorities after he closed down the business, as per the police.
According to Everett, the pool installation company disappeared in April 2022. He mentioned that the contract clearly stated that the pool should be completed within 12 weeks of permitting, and although they had pulled the permit 12 weeks prior, they only had a hole in the ground.
Last year, CBS12 News had a chance to speak with Rodger Clyne, another victim of the scam, when the warning signs first emerged.
In the spring of 2022, he expressed his frustration by stating, “It’s really hard to accept that I invested $44,000 in digging a hole, only to realize it was a bad investment. It’s a terrible feeling, one that leaves me sickened and gutted.”
Police reported that Galiszewski displayed no signs of remorse for his actions. As stated by the authorities, “He took the victims’ money and fled to Costa Rica, indulging in the most lavish restaurants on the Treasure Coast.”
According to authorities, the organization has victims throughout the Treasure Coast, ranging from Martin to Indian River Counties. Several of these victims have expressed regret over not conducting thorough research on the organization before hiring their services.
The deputy chief of staff expressed concerns over the pool contractor’s lack of completed projects, referrals, and references. Additionally, the contractor had no history with the Better Business Bureau and his quotes were significantly lower than the market value. These red flags were indicative of the contractor’s shady business practices. The deputy chief of staff emphasized the importance of doing proper due diligence before entering into any business agreement. It was unfortunate that the contractor exploited people who trusted him.
Everett encourages people to utilize the internet and conduct research regarding building codes for pools and other structures. He advises not to be afraid of the process and emphasizes the importance of being knowledgeable about specific regulations.
If you want to research a business, a good option is to look them up on the Better Business Bureau website.
Ironically, Galiszewski is currently incarcerated in St. Lucie County Jail with a $2.5 million bail. This is the same amount that prosecutors have accused him of swindling from his victims.
The responsibility of managing the victims was divided among various departments. The PSLPD was responsible for 64 victims, while the Martin County Sheriff’s Office managed 29, the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office handled six, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office was in charge of four, and the Stuart Police Department was responsible for one victim.
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