$1.9M Beachcomber Fraud Nets Man 7-Year Sentence

BOSTON, MA — A former Quincy man, who police said was on the run for over 20 years, was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison after being found guilty of running a $1.9 million real estate investment fraud scheme involving Quincy's popular Beachcomber Bar.

Scott J. Wolas, 69, was sentenced on Monday in federal court. Along with his prison sentence, Wolas was ordered to pay roughly $1.9 million in restitution to the fraud victims, an additional $69,768 to Social Security and Medicare, and $318,266 to the IRS. Last June, Wolas pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, misuse of a Social Security number, and tax evasion.

From at least 2009 through 2016, prosecutors proved Wolas, using the name Eugene Grathwohl, ran the real estate business, Increasing Fortune Inc. and worked as a licensed real estate agent for Century 21 in Quincy.

From 2014 through 2016, he solicited investments for the development of the Beachcomber property on Quincy Shore Drive and for the construction of a single-family home on the adjacent property. He collected more than $1.9 million from at least 24 investors and promised each of them a significant return on their investments. Prosecutors said Wolas promised to pay out at least 125 percent of the profits related to the single-family home construction. However, prosecutors proved Wolas used the money mostly for personal expenses unrelated to development of the real estate projects.

Wolas was scheduled to close on the Beachcomber property on Sept. 15, 2016. A week before, however, prosecutors said he left Quincy and cut-off all contact with his then-girlfriend, his co-workers, and his investors. Police said they later found out that Grathwohl was actually Wolas, a former lawyer who had been a fugitive since 1997, he was charged with fraud and grand larceny in New York.

On Nov. 17, 2016, police interviewed Wolas’ ex-wife, Cecily Sturge, of Delray Beach, Florida. According to police, she told officers she hadn't heard from Wolas in over 15 years. Police said she continued to say this, even though they had cell phone records between the two. After further investigation, Wolas was arrested on April 7, 2017, at a condominium he was renting in Delray Beach.

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