OKEECHOBEE — A local business was swindled out of nearly $300,000 in October 2020. The complainant met with Scott Smith, 50, of Vero Beach, in August of 2020 to broker a deal to buy cattle. On August 8, 288 head of cattle arrived and a check payable to Bhakta Farms in the amount of $279,327 was issued. In the first week of October, employees of the business noticed the check had not cleared the bank. Smith was contacted and reportedly said the check was probably sitting on someone’s desk somewhere. That the company had so much money that the check was not that important to them.

Soon after, Smith reportedly claimed the check must have gotten lost and asked the business to write another check. This time, he wanted the check made out to Smith Livestock Services. An agreement was signed on Oct. 12, 2020 detailing the lost check, the canceling of the original check and that Scott Smith representing Bahkta Farms had absolute legal authority over the cattle operation of Bahkta Farms. The next day, the business issued a second check for $279,292.

According to the police report, an investigation revealed that Smith immediately took that check to the bank it was written on and exchanged it for a cashier’s check. The same day, the original check was deposited into the account of Bahkta Farms, causing a loss for the business of $279,292.

On Oct. 13, 2020, Smith was arrested in Vero Beach on outstanding cattle theft, fraud and grand theft warrants from the state of Wyoming.

A warrant was issued in Okeechobee County on Oct. 29, 2020. He was arrested on March 24 by OCSO and charged with grand theft, first degree, $100,000 or more. His bond was set at $500,000.