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Lutz Tub Dealer Arrested In Fraud Case

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By STEVE ANDREWS

sandrews@wfla.com

Published: November 13, 2008

A Tampa Bay area businessman, accused of stealing $167,000 from 27 elderly and disabled people in seven states, has been arrested and charged with organized fraud.

Nearly half the customers were from Florida, including 10 from the Bay area.

In 2007, William Becker, 42, of Lutz, owned Able Walk-In Tubs on North Dale Mabry Highway. Becker's customers wanted an easier, safer way to bathe. Instead of stepping over, they wanted to step into a walk-in tub to help soothe their ailments.

They paid thousands of dollars upfront. For at least 27 customers, Becker's business never delivered.

"It's very doubtful these victims will receive hardly any of their money back, if at all," said Kevin Jackson, Hillsborough County Consumer Protection chief investigator.

Police found Becker living in Colonia, N.J., in late October. He is now in a New Jersey jail awaiting extradition to New York, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Becker's company had a showroom on North Dale Mabry in 2007.

Three Bay area customers paid Becker's business up to $6,700 and never received their tubs, authorities said.

Hal Hann, 83, of Sun City Center is one of those customers. He saw an ad in a seniors magazine for Able Walk-In Tubs.

"It's hard to get in and out of a tub," Hann said. "I'm very stiff. I go twice a week over to the walk-in pool here in Sun City. I try to keep limber, but it isn't easy anymore."

In June 2007, he gave Becker a $4,000 check as a down payment on an $8,000 tub.

Leonard Przywara, 81, of Wesley Chapel saw an ad for Able Walk-In Tubs in the newspaper. In August 2007, Przywara paid Becker $6,700 for a walk-in tub.

"I figured with a walk-in tub I could get therapy and everything else from the hot water and the air jets and the water jets," Przywara said. "It would help me out."

Przywara said the tub never materialized.

Virginia Nolan's daughter saw an ad on the Internet for Able Walk-In Tubs. Nolan's 86-year-old husband, Robert, suffers from Alzheimer's disease and poor balance.

She wanted to replace the step-in shower in her Clearwater home and gave Becker a check in September 2007.

"I gave them the whole thing, $6,300," Nolan said. "He said because your husband is a veteran, we'll take $200 or $300 off."

Nolan said Becker promised she would have the walk-in tub by the end of November 2007, in time for the holidays.

"He just simply wasn't supplying anything to anybody," Jackson said. "He flat out shut out the victims."

Hillsborough Consumer Protection received 10 complaints from Bay area customers of Able Walk-In Tubs. Becker shut down his store in September 2007.

In June, the sheriff's office charged Becker with organized fraud.

Becker is accused of ripping off 14 Florida consumers as well as customers in Maryland, Montana, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

News Channel 8 Reporter Steve Andrews can be reached at (813) 221-5779.

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