Second arrest made in alleged embezzlement from John Travolta's aviation company
The other person accused of embezzling almost $800,000 from actor John Travolta's company has been arrested.
Jorden David Coursey was booked into the Marion County Jail on Friday at 10:44 a.m. He is charged with larceny and two counts of fraud.
During a firs appearance hearing Saturday, Coursey's lawyer told the judge his client surrendered at the jail. Also, Coursey doesn't have a criminal history, Assistant State Attorney Danielle Ruse told the judge.
The judge set bail at $125,000. Coursey, who lives in Palm Beach County, has an April 30 court date.
After the hearing, the defense lawyer told a Star Banner reporter he got in contact with the investigating detective once he learned there was a warrant for his client's arrest.
Cousey, 37, and co-defendant Jean Paul Lacruz-Romero, 28, of St. Cloud, are accused of bilking Constellation Productions, whose president is Travolta. The actor lives in Jumbolair, the high-end aviation community north of Ocala.
An arrest report states the men were pilots at the company and were given American Express cards for expenses such as fuel. Marion County Sheriff's Office officials said the men bought fuel from Lux Fuels, LLC, a company registered to Lacruz-Romero's wife.
Authorities said Lux Fuels sent invoices to Constellation Productions' finance company in California, which paid the balance. But the invoices from Lux Fuels had inflated amounts, law enforcement officials were told.
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An audit commissioned by Constellation Productions showed the aviation company was defrauded out of $785,050. Constellation Productions paid the $64,650 fee for the audit, according to the report.
Arrested March 15, Lacruz-Romero remains at the jail, where he is being held without bail on charges of grand theft and organized fraud. A charge of money laundering was dropped by prosecutors.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Man surrenders at jail; he's accused of bilking John Travolta's company
