Date: August 17, 2026
Prepared by: Jake Arthur, Public Information Officer
Email: PIO@flaglersheriff.com
Release #: 2026 – 172
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, arrested a Tampa man who took $4,000 from an 88-year-old Palm Coast woman for ductwork he never completed.
In February, the victim hired a company, doing business as Universal Air Duct Cleaning LLC, to clean ductwork in her Palm Coast home. Two men—who arrived in a dark colored Chevrolet pickup truck without any company branding—cleaned part of her system, charged her $500, and then told her that some of her ductwork needed to be replaced. They then offered to do that work for $5,000 if she paid half up front, requesting partial payment in cash
The suspect, later identified as Amjad Otor, 32, of Tampa, took $1,000 in cash from the victim, showed her the new piece of ductwork to be installed, and, after later telling her the work was complete, collected two more checks totaling $3,000 from the victim.
Suspicious of the work, the victim asked her handyman to check the job. The handyman determined that no one had been in the attic to replace the damaged duct. When the victim called the company and asked them to come back and replace the duct she paid for, they stopped answering her calls. In March, she reported the fraud.
Through investigative means, detectives determined that Otor had also given the victim a false name, was the registered owner of the vehicle used during the service call and at the victim’s home for less than an hour and a half. Detectives also determined the victim’s checks were deposited into the company’s bank account.
With help from Seniors vs. Crime, a partnership between the FCSO and the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the victim had a certified inspector examine her ductwork. The inspector confirmed the ducts were never replaced. The victim then identified Otor in a photo lineup as the man she had paid during the service call.
Amjad Otor (Broward jail mug shot)
Detectives worked with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, which confirmed the company is out of business, holds no current license, carries an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau, and has multiple complaints of unfinished work. The company’s owner, Tomer Nahmani, 25, of Altamonte Springs, hired Otor as a subcontractor. Nahmani is not a licensed contractor.
FCSO’s General Assignment Unit detectives obtained a warrant for Otor’s arrest on August 12, 2026.
The FCSO Fugitive Apprehension Unit, working with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, arrested Otor without incident for an organized scheme to defraud and theft from a person 65 years of age or older. He was released from the Broward County Jail on a $10,000 bond.
“This fake AC repair man sold an 88-year-old woman nothing but hot air and took $4,000 for it,” said Sheriff Rick Staly. “It is a disgusting lowlife that would take advantage of anyone, but especially a senior. Remember to always thoroughly research companies you plan to do business with and never pay in cash, no matter how great the deal may be. When they ask for cash, run. That’s another sign of fraud. Construction scammers beware; we treat fraud like the crime it is!”
Before you let anyone into your home to do work, confirm they hold a state license at myfloridalicense.com. Get the full scope of work, the price, and the completion date in writing before anything starts. Reputable companies do not pressure you into paying most of the cost upfront, and they do not ask for cash. Please pay by check or credit card so the money leaves a paper trail, and hold the final payment until you or someone you trust has confirmed the work was completed. Always have lien releases signed when the contractor acknowledges payment for materials and workers. Otherwise, you could end up paying twice under Florida law.
The investigation is active and ongoing, and additional charges are pending. Anyone who paid Universal Air Duct Cleaning LLC, Amajd Otor, or Tomer Nahmani for work that was never completed is encouraged to call the FCSO non-emergency line at 386-313-4911.
The post Flagler County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Employee of Unlicensed, Unregistered HVAC Business for Organized Scheme to Defraud Elderly Victim first appeared on Flagler County Buzz.
