NEW AT FOUR. THE OWNERS OF A BREVARD COUNTY POOL COMPANY ACCUSED OF RIPPING OFF CUSTOMERS ARE BACK IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. INVESTIGATORS SAY CHARLES AND KRISTEN BLACK OF LEGACY POOLS TOOK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM CUSTOMERS AND USED IT ON TRAVELING, GYM MEMBERSHIPS AND A POOL FOR THEMSELVES. WESH TWO BREVARD COUNTY REPORTER MEGAN MORIARTY IS LIVE AT THE COURTHOUSE IN VIERA, WHERE THE COUPLE FACED A JUDGE. MEGAN. THE BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THAT THIS INVESTIGATION ACTUALLY BEGAN BACK IN 2021, WHEN THE STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE WAS GETTING COMPLAINTS ABOUT LEGACY POOLS. THEY SAY THAT CHAD BLACK, HIS FORMAL NAME IS CHARLES, ALLEGEDLY LIED ABOUT HIS CRIMINAL HISTORY TO GET HIS CONTRACTOR LICENSE. CHAD AND KRISTEN BLACK, OWNERS OF LEGACY POOLS, HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND EXTRADITED FROM ARIZONA. BACK HERE TO BREVARD COUNTY ON FRAUD CHARGES. INVESTIGATORS SAY THEY SCAMMED HUNDREDS OF HOMEOWNERS ACROSS SEVERAL STATES AND COUNTIES, PROMISING TO MAKE POOLS THEY NEVER PLANNED TO COMPLETE. WE PAID THEM 100% OF THE MONEY UP FRONT, $92,000, AND THEY CAME OUT. THEY DUG A HOLE IN THE BACKYARD. THEY PUT REBAR IN, AND THEY PUT SOME CONCRETE IN IT, AND THEY WENT AWAY. WE’VE NEVER SEEN THEM SINCE. WESH TWO INTRODUCED YOU TO PATRICK LEE OF COCOA BEACH IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SUITS FILED AGAINST LEGACY POOLS. SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I’M GOING TO ORDER THAT SHE REMAINS IN FLORIDA. THIS WEEK, KRISTEN AND CHAD BLACK HAD THEIR INITIAL APPEARANCE AT THE BREVARD COUNTY JAIL. THE BREVARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THE BLACKS USED THEIR COMPANY BANK ACCOUNT AS THEIR PERSONAL BANK ACCOUNT, SPENDING APPROXIMATELY $2 MILLION ON TRAVELING GYM MEMBERSHIPS, CAR RENTALS, PARTIES, AND OTHER ITEMS. THEY EVEN BUILT A POOL FOR THEIR OWN HOUSE. ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATORS. MEANWHILE, THEIR BUSINESS WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE POOL PROJECTS OR PAY EMPLOYEES OR SUBCONTRACTORS. J RUTH AND DAN ECKERD REPRESENT THE BLACKS. THE FIRST THING IS THEY’RE JUST CHARGES. OBVIOUSLY, THEY HAVEN’T BEEN CONVICTED OF ANYTHING. THEY’RE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. AND ESSENTIALLY, THIS IS IDENTICAL TO A CASE THAT I GOT DISMISSED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. SO WE’RE WE’RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS CASE ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE DISCOVERY AND START LOOKING AT WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED, NOT JUST THE ALLEGATIONS. ECKERD SAYS THIS IS A BASIC CONTRACT DISPUTE. BUT IN AN ARREST AFFIDAVIT, INVESTIGATORS SAY THE TWO CONTINUED TO SIGN AS MANY POOL CONTRACTS WITHOUT DISCLOSING THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE COMPANY. LONG AND ENDLESS TIMELINES, POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT SHORTAGES, POSSIBLE MANPOWER ISSUES AND THE AMOUNT OF UNFINISHED POOLS. BOTH POSTED BOND. THEY HAVE TO REMAIN IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THEIR NEXT COURT DATE IS HERE AT THE VIERA COURTHOUSE ON APRIL 3RD. NOW, THEIR ATTORNEY DID GIVE A REASON AS TO WHY THOSE POOLS WEREN’T BUILT. AHEAD, AT 530. WHY HE SAYS THAT COVID PLAYED A ROLE.