JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – St. Johns County homebuilder Spencer Calvert pleaded guilty Tuesday to 45 felony charges tied to an alleged construction fraud scheme that left multiple Nocatee homeowners with unfinished homes and millions of dollars in losses.
Under a negotiated plea agreement announced by the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, Calvert agreed to pay $8,722,659.05 in restitution, including an upfront payment of $1 million at sentencing that will be distributed among victims based on the percentage of their losses.
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Calvert, the former owner of Pineapple Corporation, pleaded guilty to:
- Organized scheme to defraud more than $50,000
- Fifteen counts of grand theft of more than $100,000
- One count of grand theft
- One count of misappropriation of construction funds of $100,000 or more
- Twenty-six counts of misappropriation of construction funds between $1,000 and $100,000
- One count of misappropriation of construction funds of less than $1,000
Circuit Judge Christopher Ferebee is scheduled to sentence Calvert on July 14.
Under the agreement, Calvert faces a sentence ranging from probation to five years in prison. Any prison sentence would be followed by 30 years of probation, with the possibility of early termination if restitution is paid in full. The court will also establish a minimum monthly restitution payment.
The agreement also requires that proceeds from any remaining lots owned by Calvert or Pineapple Corporation be applied toward restitution. In addition, Calvert agreed to execute default judgments in related civil lawsuits, allowing victims to seek compensation through Florida’s Homeowners’ Construction Recovery Fund.
The guilty plea comes four months after an earlier plea agreement unraveled in court following emotional objections from victims, who argued the proposed punishment and restitution were inadequate. That agreement would have included a five-year prison sentence and significantly less upfront restitution of $150,000 before it was rejected and negotiations collapsed.
According to prosecutors, Calvert abandoned multiple custom home projects in Nocatee’s Vista at Twenty Mile neighborhood between 2019 and 2023. The homes were left in varying stages of construction, with some consisting only of foundations and others partially framed or roofed.
Investigators said Calvert misappropriated more than $8.7 million in deposits from 15 cooperating victims.
Authorities said homeowners paid large upfront deposits intended to cover subcontractors and construction costs, but Calvert allegedly failed to pay many of those subcontractors. As a result, liens were filed against homeowners’ properties, forcing many victims to pay additional costs while hiring new contractors to finish their homes.
The criminal investigation was conducted jointly by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and investigators with the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Calvert was arrested in 2024 after investigators alleged he diverted millions of dollars in customer deposits while leaving luxury homes unfinished. The case gained national attention after several victims, including reality television star Capt. Sandy Yawn of Bravo’s Below Deck Mediterranean, publicly described the financial and emotional toll of the unfinished construction projects.
After Sandy and Leah Yawn learned of the news, they issued the following statement, calling it a closed chapter.
This has been a long and difficult journey for our family. While nothing can undo what happened, we believe justice has been served, and we are grateful to finally put this chapter behind us.
What began as a devastating experience ultimately revealed a strength and resilience we didn’t know we had. It brought us closer together as a married couple, introduced us to incredible friends, and gave us the opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of advocating for yourself throughout the home-building process.
We are incredibly thankful for the unwavering support of our neighbors and the St. Johns County community. We are proud to call this community home and look forward to moving ahead with gratitude, hope, and a renewed appreciation for the people who stood beside us.
Life is moving forward in exciting ways. Leah is expanding Skin by Leah and launching her new beauty brand, JustMix Beauty, this September. I’m also heading into my 11th season of Below Deck Mediterranean, and together we’re launching our own mocktail line. We refused to let this experience define us. Instead, it challenged us to work harder, become stronger, and discover a resilience we never knew we had.
Sometimes life doesn’t go as planned, but it’s not what happens to you that defines you—it’s how you choose to navigate it. We choose gratitude, growth, and moving forward.
Captain Sandy and Leah Yawn