CBS Boston is reporting that Scott Wolas was arrested today in Delray Beach, FL, on charges of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft more than six months after he dropped out of sight, with police saying he absconded with more than $1.5 million from 19 investors who were hoping to develop the former Beachcomber property at Wollaston Beach. An earlier report here had mentioned that Wolas had worked out of a real estate office in Quincy under the name Eugene Grathwohl, while CBS states that he went by at least six different aliases. Wolas is expected to be returned to Massachusetts at some point, according to the article.
The Beachcomber first opened in 1959 and had featured countless local and national acts over the years before closing down in the fall of 2015. The initial plan was to tear down the building and replace it with a high-end restaurant, but no progress was made and the city of Quincy looked into the situation last August shortly before Wolas disappeared.
[Earlier Articles]
Quincy Broker Involved in Plans for Beachcomber Site Missing; Worries Raised About Money for Project
City of Quincy to Look into Status of the Beachcomber Site
The Beachcomber in Quincy Is Closing
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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
