Sheriff’s Office Seizes Domain for Fake Sarasota Horse Business

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office dismantled a fraudulent online business called Horse Adventures Sarasota after it used real Florida records to sell nonexistent horses to out-of-state buyers.

Detectives partnered with the Florida Attorney General’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to seize the website domain. The operation began in July when a man from Colorado reported losing thousands of dollars to the vendor. The victim initially sent 5,000 dollars to purchase two horses. He then traveled to Sarasota to pick up the animals.

The seller told the buyer the transaction could not proceed because of a family emergency. The man returned to Colorado without the horses. The seller then agreed to ship the animals for an additional 1,000 dollars. The horses never arrived. The vendor claimed the livestock were stuck in Louisiana and demanded another 3,000 dollars for delivery.

Investigators discovered that the website displayed authentic Florida registration numbers and legitimate owner records. This detail made the business appear real to customers. The sheriff’s office stated that the site solicited cash for horses that were never real. Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman said the agency is committed to protecting citizens and holding those who exploit unsuspecting victims accountable.

Authorities have not yet identified specific suspects tied directly to the website operation. Officials have not revealed how many other people sent payments to the scam page or the total amount stolen across all transactions. Detectives are currently pursuing leads to identify additional victims caught in the fraud ring.

Anyone who sent money to the Horse Adventures Sarasota website should contact Detective Vinopal at 941-861-4900. The investigation remains active as law enforcement works to trace the flow of funds from the fraudulent domain.