{"id":58755,"date":"2025-10-30T00:33:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T04:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/?p=58755"},"modified":"2025-10-30T07:36:43","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T11:36:43","slug":"fraud-deception-double-dealing-and-strataghem-that-mayor-mutz-is-involved-with","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lakelandgazette.info\/news\/2025\/10\/30\/fraud-deception-double-dealing-and-strataghem-that-mayor-mutz-is-involved-with\/","title":{"rendered":"Fraud, Deception, Double-dealing, and Stratagem that Mayor Mutz is involved with?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editorial<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While doing some research on a different project, we came across documents about some Polk nonprofits that Mayor Bill Mutz is involved with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We also saw some interesting information on how the nonprofit is not properly registered with certain state departments.<\/p>\n\n\n

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We found information about Mayor Mutz, how he seems to have his hands in similar organizations, and about his son, Michael.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a clear summary of what we have documented through court records, public filings, and rental listings\u2026\u2026..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grace House of Lakeland, Inc., a nonprofit tied to Gordon and Holly Cuthbertson, has been repeatedly used to acquire or claim control over properties that are then transferred into for-profit or \u201cinvestment\u201d LLCs operated by the same small group of insiders.  The organization presents itself as faith-based and community-driven, but it functions as a funnel\u2014moving real-estate assets from charitable entities into private ownership for profit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gordon Cuthbertson plays a central role.  He uses a network of religious or ministry-themed nonprofits to recruit men\u2014often referred to as \u201cvolunteers\u201d or \u201cprogram participants\u201d\u2014to perform unpaid or low-paid rehabilitation work on the houses these entities acquire.  Once renovated, the properties are sold or rented for profit through related for-profit companies.  This allows Gordon and his associates to generate revenue under a charitable banner while avoiding labor, licensing, and tax scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bill Mutz, while serving as Lakeland Mayor, has appeared on or been publicly associated with several of these nonprofits, involving Hope House, helping lend them credibility.\u00a0 His son, Michael Mutz, is a licensed real-estate agent and the registered agent for Mount Parousia Investments LLC, which now manages or rents properties previously tied to Grace House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pablo Sologaistoa acts as the primary contact and on-the-ground representative for Michael Mutz\u2019s companies and previously represented Grace House in court matters.  He serves as the operational link between Gordon\u2019s nonprofit network and the newer for-profit ventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Victoria Stickler appears in overlapping property transactions and in a Pasco County criminal case listing Gordon Cuthbertson and related entities in discovery\u2014further connecting this network across multiple counties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key Issues Identified<\/p>\n\n\n\n