A local roofing contractor in Southwest Florida has been arrested again, this time by state authorities.
Reife Petersen, owner of JKS Construction, is accused of stealing nearly $1 million from clients and spending it on extravagant gifts for herself.
Several homeowners told WINK Investigates their relief at the actions taken by local and state authorities. However, they remain frustrated because Petersen assured them he would complete their roofing projects, which they said never happened.
A new 26-page arrest warrant from the Florida Department of Financial Services details 24 counts of insurance fraud. Petersen is charged with 20 crimes, including grand theft and attempted fraud.
Whitney Christy, who hired JKS Construction after Hurricane Ian, paid more than $31,000 in roof repairs. She said no work had been carried out and no supplies had been delivered.
“I don't rejoice in anyone else's downfall, but he's a grown man making grown decisions and now he's having grown up consequences,” Christy said. “It’s ultimately just good, old-fashioned American justice.”
In March 2025, the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office conducted an investigation that traced other customers' money to Petersen, leading to his arrest.
“The money should have either gone back to the victim or to the insurance company where it rightfully belonged,” Corporal Chris said
Farley of the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit.
Petersen's lawyer Björn Brunvand plans to file a plea of innocence. He says he will look into the allegations and assess what happened. “If people's projects haven't been completed, of course we'll do everything we can to try to correct that,” Brunvand promised.
“This is not a scenario where my client raised a lot of money and fled the country. Quite the opposite. I mean, he knew that these possible allegations were going to come to the surface. He stayed in the area. He remains reachable,” Brunvand added.
State investigators allege Petersen funneled money through an account linked to RG Worldwide, a company they said was not a legitimate business.
Petersen's lawyer responded: “The majority of the funds were actually used for legitimate purposes.”