Ex-Pensacola contractor Matt Banks faces new fraud allegations in white collar crime case

The embattled and indicted Pensacola contractor Matthew Banks had new allegations added to the white collar crime charges he faces for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from his clients.

An Escambia County grand jury issued a superseding indictment on June 27 to add a new fraud allegation. Banks is now alleged to have fraudulently made statements on paperwork involving two additional companies to his Banks Construction LLC.

The indictment says Banks "knowingly and willfully (made) a false, fictitious or fraudulent statement or representation concerning the managing member of limited liability companies, in documents submitted to the Florida Department of State, the Articles of Organization for 3T Construction LLC, and Fourtee Construction LLC."

Chief Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen told the News Journal that the state has not imposed Banks with more charges, but the indictment adds further fraud allegations to his current charges.

Initial indictment: Pensacola contractor Matt Banks indicted for racketeering; faces up to 95 years in prison

Scam: Dozens of people allege Escambia contractor took their money but never fixed their homes

Banks is charged with racketeering, aggravated white collar crime, fraud and destroying or tampering with evidence.

The indictment also says the jurors found that Banks "did conceal or remove business records of Banks Construction LLC, required to be maintained ... with the purpose to impair the availability of the records in such proceeding or investigation" after he was already charged in a previous fraud case in 2022.

Banks is also charged with falsely making or forging public records, defrauding his clients and stealing payroll money from his employees.

The former contractor was previously indicted on his charges April 4, State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden subsequently held a press conference the following day to discuss the charges.

"Today, the Defendant, in this case, has been charged and will be brought to justice for exploiting innocent victims who were trying to improve their lives for his personal gain," Bowden Madden said in a statement. "We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold the defendant accountable for taking advantage of people by stealing their money and diminishing their trust in businesses."

Banks has been the center of attention regarding contractor scams in the greater Escambia and Santa Rosa counties area for nearly a year after Gulf Breeze woman Jennifer Anderson, one of Banks' most outspoken critics, said his construction company took $40,000 for a kitchen remodel, demolished the kitchen and never returned.

Anderson's experience led her to identify over 100 people throughout Escambia and Santa Rosa counties who had hired Banks Construction for remodels but were allegedly scammed out of their money. Eventually, this led to an investigation by the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, an arm of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Over the course of several months and many competency board hearings, Banks racked up a restitution bill well into the millions of dollars, which led to his declaration of bankruptcy in August. However, the Northern District of Florida bankruptcy court dismissed the case on Sept. 14, 2022, after Banks filed a voluntary dismissal of the case.

Banks is currently held in Escambia County Jail without bond.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Matthew Bank, former Pensacola contractor, faces new fraud allegations