A former Oakes Farms’ executive has implicated the local company and its high-profile owner in a COVID-related fraud conspiracy.
The accusations appear in federal court filings related to a civil lawsuit Oakes Farms and its affiliates filed against Steven A. Veneziano Jr. and two of his now-dissolved Florida companies.
In his latest court filings dated Jan. 14, Veneziano claims that he quietly moved from Florida to California in November 2024 in fear of his safety after cooperating with the federal government in an investigation of the COVID conspiracy.
He states: “I feared for my life and my family’s safety due to my cooperation” in the investigation, which involved “many individuals, including Francis A. “Alfie” Oakes, III, the principal owner of Oakes Farms.”
Veneziano and a handful of others have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. He’s awaiting his sentencing.
While court documents in the criminal case suggest that Oakes Farms and Alfie Oakes may have been involved in the conspiracy, they aren’t named specifically as conspirators — and they haven’t been charged with anything. Oakes has declined to comment about the case, which followed a raid on his North Naples home and Immokalee packing plant in November 2024 by federal agents.
Federal agents never explained the reason for the raid.
Meanwhile, Oakes Farms and its affiliates — Oakes Farm Op and South Florida Produce — have sued Veneziano and two of his limited liability companies, Veneziano Farms and Veneziano Property Management, over more personal matters.
In the suit, filed last October, Veneziano is accused of engaging in various fraudulent schemes to “fund his lavish lifestyle, which included high-dollar gambling, regular trips to Las Vegas, a multimillion-dollar house, and the purchase of a Lamborghini, among other luxuries.”
Oakes Farms, a diversified agricultural operation headquartered in Collier County, seeks damages of about $12.5 million — based on the value of the funds and assets Veneziano allegedly stole.
Claims in the suit include fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment.
Originally filed in Collier Circuit court, the case was moved to federal court at Veneziano’s request in December, due to the money that’s at stake, and his relocation to California.
Oakes is fighting to get the lawsuit sent back to state court, based on Veneziano’s continued connections to Florida.
In a motion filed Dec. 30, Oakes Farms sought a remand back to state court after the private investigator it hired found the Venezianos still owned real estate in Cape Coral and maintained a Naples address — and continued to be registered voters in Collier County and to hold Florida drivers’ licenses until recently.
In a response to the motion seeking a remand, Veneziano’s attorney Susan Warner stated that he “abandoned his Florida domicile” in late 2024, while cooperating with the federal government investigation involving Oakes Farms.
“The Government was kept apprised of Mr. Veneziano’s residence and relocation to California at all times. Mr. Veneziano has no intent to return to Florida,” she wrote.
Further, she stated that Veneziano lives in a home owned by his wife in California, where he’s obtained a drivers’ license, registered his vehicle, opened a bank account, secured a job, filed his taxes and enrolled his children in school.
“Changing domicile does not require that person dispose of all property, cease all business and personal relationships, and flee the state, never to return again,” Warner wrote.
She declined further comment.
Veneziano’s sentencing in the criminal case is scheduled for March 23 in Fort Myers.
The federal case pending in the Middle District of Florida involves the attainment of millions in federal COVID-19 relief funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through fraudulent applications for aid from a Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.
The assistance program was designed to help farmers and ranchers offset pandemic losses. In August of last year, Veneziano pleaded guilty to two felony counts, admitting that he participated in a larger conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, from 2020 to 2022.
Veneziano appeared to be Alfie Oakes’ right-hand man.
According to court filings in the civil case, Veneziano began working for Oakes Farms in 2013, and he rose up through the ranks, effectively functioning as its CEO and president by 2020. Until he left the company, he also served in leadership roles with Oakes Farm Op and South Florida Produce.
Oakes, a prominent businessman, controversial conservative activist and outspoken MAGA supporter, who’s had his share of local and national media attention, has declined to comment on his dispute with Veneziano, referring questions about the litigation to his attorney.
In a statement after the lawsuit was filed, Oakes Farms’ attorney Joseph Davidow said: “The fraud and breach of trust came as a shock to the company when it was discovered. The company looks forward to proceeding with the case, recovering its damages, and putting this episode behind it as it continues to focus on its goal of serving the Southwest Florida community.”
In October, Nicole Hughes Waid, a Fort Myers attorney who represents Veneziano, described the lawsuit as frivolous in an email, saying she and her client are confident that “the facts” will clear him of the allegations.
At the time, she said: “We will not engage in bullying tactics or theatrics; we will rely on the facts and evidence.”
Davidow and Waid could not immediately be reached for further comment.
Veneziano asked for two extensions to answer the civil suit brought by his former employers before filing a motion to dismiss most of the claims earlier this month, including all of the fraudulent claims made against his companies, which he argued had no direct dealings with Oakes Farms, or any of its affiliates.
State records show the two companies, Veneziano Farms and Veneziano Property Management, were administratively dissolved by the state in September 2025, two months before Oakes Farms filed its lawsuit.
The companies were dissolved after they failed to file their required annual reports with the Florida Department of State.
In his latest court filings, Veneziano claims that he formed Veneziano Farms in July of 2018 at the request of Alfie Oakes.
The filings state: “Veneziano Farms was a sham company that was involved in committing fraud since its inception and is related to the ongoing fraud investigation involving Oakes Farms.”
A court hearing on the status of the civil case is scheduled for Feb. 19 in Fort Myers.
Laura Layden is a business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.
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This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: Former Oakes Farms’ executive fled; says he feared for his life
Reporting by Laura Layden, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Marco Eagle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
