Fraud, Grand Theft Alleged: 2 Men Wanted Regarding Fraud At Antioch Golf Course

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA -- Two men are wanted on charges including grand theft, insurance fraud and elder financial theft related to the abrupt closure of an Antioch golf course last year, prosecutors said.

The charges were filed last week against Kevin Fitzgerald of Brentwood and Mark Mattson of Escondido by the Contra Costa County district attorney.

The men are wanted for offenses related to the closure of Roddy Ranch Golf Course, which closed in August 2016 because of financial troubles that, according to prosecutors, were made worse by the alleged theft and fraud.

Fitzgerald, who was the general manager of the course, allegedly confessed to several people, including landowners Jack and Donna Roddy, that he used $200,000 of a loan to buy solar panels for a course project for other purposes.

Prosecutors allege that Fitzgerald, pictured above, used some of the money to operate the golf course, some to make lease payments to the Roddys and embezzled the rest.

The Roddys had obtained an $800,000 loan for the solar project.

Prosecutors alleged that Mattson, the solar contractor on the project, received $699,000 in loan proceeds after he and Fitzgerald submitted papers claiming that the solar panels had been bought and installed.

Some panels were purchased and installed but not the 344 shown in the construction papers, prosecutors allege.

Fitzgerald and Mattson allegedly tried to get the remaining $93,000 of the loan, but the lender inquired with officials with PG&E, the City of Antioch and Donna Roddy who said the project had been barely started.

Allegedly Fitzgerald damaged 12 of the solar panels that had been installed after the lender denied him and Mattson the $93,000.

Fitzgerald allegedly claimed in a police report that someone stole the 344 solar panels that were on the golf course property awaiting installation, but prosecutors allege that they were never purchased.

Fitzgerald allegedly received $267,000 from a settlement with an insurance company for the vandalism of the 12 solar panels and the theft of the others and that money that was never used toward the solar project,
prosecutors allege.

Authorities are looking for Fitzgerald who has a warrant out for his arrest. A warrant has been issued for Mattson too, prosecutors said.

Fitzgerald could spend up to 17 years and two months in state prison if found guilty.

Bay City News contributed to this report/Image via northerncaliforniamostwanted.org