The Brief
- A federal judge has approved plans to auction Big Storm Brewing in Clearwater, as authorities work to recover money for the alleged victims of Pinellas County businessman Leo Govoni.
- Govoni, a former part-owner of Big Storm, is charged with stealing $100 million from more than 1,500 disabled clients of the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration.
- The auction, set for December 3, begins with a minimum bid of $7.5 million.
TAMPA, Fla – Big Storm Brewing will soon be under new ownership after a federal judge approved plans to sell the company at auction, marking the latest effort to repay the alleged victims of Leo Govoni, who’s accused of draining medical trust funds for disabled clients of the Center for Special Needs Trust, which he founded.
What we know:
The sale is part of a broader federal forfeiture effort tied to the criminal case against former Big Storm co-owner Leo Govoni, who prosecutors say stole $100 million from special-needs trust funds. Govoni founded the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration in St. Petersburg, which managed settlements and lifelong care funds for disabled clients.
Investigators say more than 1,500 people were affected, with some accounts fully or partially drained.…