Bob Newsholme, the tax professional accused in 2021 of defrauding potentially hundreds of clients to the tune of $300,000, has died while awaiting extradition to Flagler County. He passed away on November 8th in hospice care in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Newsholme moved out west after the revelation of his alleged crimes.
The reason for Newsholme being across the country from the jurisdiction in which his alleged crimes were committed is that law enforcement arrested him as a fugitive from the law; Newsholme was at-large and wanted in Flagler County until almost three years after the fact. He became ill while in the custody of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at the Clark County Detention Center.
A Strange, Grim Saga
The death of Newsholme in Nevada is not his first brush with mortality since his alleged fraud and embezzlement became known. On August 24th, 2021, Newsholme shot himself in the torso. He was found to have googled how to load a gun beforehand, and he initially hid his severe wound from his family members. Once it became known what had happened, he was treated at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach.
“This is a tragic end to an extensive investigation and fraud that he perpetrated on our victims,” said Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly. “While we won’t be able to hold him accountable for his actions on earth, he now must answer for his fraudulent activities and thefts to God, which is probably a more severe penalty than a court could have imposed. We extend our sympathy to his family and to his victims that had been anxiously waiting for their day in court. I want to thank the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County Detention Center for their assistance in this case.”
Newsholme was arrested and booked into the Clark County Detention Center on nine counts of grand theft plus one count of organized scheme to defraud. The FCSO said he’d taken up residence in a nonprofit assisted living center for seniors, trying to keep from being found out. On August 7th, he was taken into custody and denied bond. Newsholme formerly owned and operated Flagler Tax Service on SR-100 in Bunnell, just next to the building which used to be the Chicken Pantry.
Good to hear that his ticket was punched by a higher authority. I agree with Sheriff Stayle’s comment towards the victims not getting their day in court. However, I’m sure they are glad this scum can not do this to anyone else. Great job by all departments involved in catching this scum and now hopefully the victims can move on with their lives.