Banker Fugitive Sold Bradenton House, Then Dropped From Sight

The banker who is the subject of a manhunt after confessing to stealing $17 million from investors sold his bayfront Bradenton house a month before he hopped a ferry in Key West and dropped out of sight. He also had an investment firm in Sarasota.

Federal investigators launched an international manhunt for banker Aubrey Price, offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Price  boarded a Key West Ferry headed to Ft. Myers last month and then disappeared from sight. 

Price sold the Bay Street house in May and then on June 16 he left his home in south Georgia, telling his family he was going to Guatemala for business, according to Sgt. Aaron Pritchett of the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating his disappearance. Two days later, Price's family received letters saying he was going to Key West to board a ferry headed to Fort Myers and planned to jump off somewhere along the way to end his life.

The banker lived in Bradenton until he moved his family to Valdosta, Ga. earlier this year. He sold his 3212 Bay Drive home for nearly $1 million May 12 after transferring the property between his name and PFG  LLC, a company that Aubrey and Rebekah Price managed, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In addition to PFG, Price also had a business, Montgomery Asset Management at 2975 Bee Ridge Road, The Herald Tribune reports:

Both were incorporated in May 2009, state records show, at the time Price began raising $40 million from 115 investors in Florida and Georgia.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Price with fraud on July 2. It also charged Montgomery Asset, saying it was still based in Sarasota, although state records indicate the firm was dissolved in May.

The $480,000 in PFG's account at Goldman Sachs was transferred to the a PFG operating bank account between May 15 to 18, 2012, at which time the account at Goldman Sachs was closed, according to the SEC Complaint, which further shows:

Throughout the time during which PFG was suffering trading losses, client account statements maintained by PFG and prepared by Price were made available to investors indicating fictitious investment returns. Neither Price nor PFG have notified investors that PFG has closed its account at Goldman Sachs. Moreover, neither Price nor PFG have notified investors of the minimal funds remaining in PFG's other accounts.

Both PFG LLC and Rebbekkah and Aubrey Price were listed at the 3212 Bay Drive address, according to Manatee County records.

In recent years PFG LLC was busy buying up Bradenton real estate. PFG still advertises for Bradenton vacation homes.

Price still owns a two bedroom, one bath condominium off of el Conquistador Parkway. The condo was assessed at $92,251 in 2011, according to his TRIM notice from the county.