Greed and Exploitation: How Fraud and Sabotage Destroyed Honey Lake Farms and Its Mission of Hope
Kevin and Laura Cormier, along with Lisa Stewart, are accused of orchestrating a sprawling fraud and embezzlement scheme that bankrupted a sanctuary for restoration and healing.
Honey Lake Farms was meant to be a haven—a 600-acre sanctuary where the poor, the struggling, and the spiritually seeking could find restoration and renewal. Nestled in the heart of Florida, it represented more than just land or a business; it embodied a mission to serve, heal, and inspire. But today, its gates are shuttered, its purpose dismantled—not by a failing vision but by betrayal.
Kevin and Laura Cormier, trusted collaborators, along with Lisa Stewart, are now at the center of a sprawling $5 million fraud that siphoned funds, sabotaged operations, and forced the farm’s closure. Their actions included unauthorized wires, fraudulent billing schemes and payments, defrauding the farm of a $1 million construction donation, and using secretly kept bank accounts to facilitate the scheme.
The Promising Beginning
In 2017, Honey Lake Farms embarked on an ambitious journey to become a beacon of restoration. With a $2.3 million credit line backed by Celebration Church, the farm aimed to expand its programs and operations, from mental health retreats to community outreach initiatives.
At the center of this effort was Kevin Cormier, a trusted contractor who pledged $1 million in donated construction services. This promise, alongside his control over project finances and management, positioned him as a key figure in the farm’s future.
But beneath the surface, a calculated scheme was already taking root.
Suspicious Activity and Fraud Uncovered (Fall 2020 – Spring 2021)
As financial irregularities began to surface, investigators uncovered a pattern of unauthorized and fraudulent activity orchestrated by Kevin and Laura Cormier, along with Lisa Stewart:
Unauthorized Bank Account Access: The Cormiers maintained access to a Honey Lake Farm’s checking account explicitly ordered closed in March 2021 after financial staff could no longer prevent Kevin from stealing funds. Despite the order, the account was secretly kept open.
Fraudulent Wires and Payments: Funds were illegally transferred, with payments directed to the Cormiers’ personal accounts and companies without authorization.
Theft of Donations: A $1 million construction donation promised by Kevin Cormier was never fulfilled, defrauding the farm of critical resources.
Fraudulent Billing Scheme: $634,423 in fake invoices were submitted, including charges for nonexistent projects such as a $28,515 dock that was never built.
Misappropriation of Funds: $113,000 was used to renovate the Cormiers’ Monticello property, which they later rented back to the farm at inflated rates.
By May 2021, CFO Tojy Thomas, hired by Kevin Cormier, was caught hiding funds in the wrong account. When confronted, he resigned immediately, refusing to attend a meeting with the financial department to explain his actions.
Jan – Oct 2022: The Collapse and Malicious Actions
By 2022, the farm’s financial situation had become untenable. Instead of stopping, the fraud escalated, with the Cormiers taking deliberate steps to sabotage recovery efforts:
Fraudulent Clouding of Property Sales: The sale of the Monticello property was obstructed, resulting in a $150,000 loss.
Harassment and Extortion: The Cormiers enlisted Eric Hearn to extort $3,000 in exchange for a portrait of the farm owner’s dying mother. They also stole an iPad and attempted to access the Apple ID for sensitive information.
False Narratives to Lenders: The Cormiers spread misinformation to the Wesleyan Investment Foundation, falsely alleging insider deals in the farm’s sale—a claim proven baseless but one that delayed proceedings and increased legal costs.
The financial toll was catastrophic. Legal fees, payroll liabilities, forced fire sales of assets, and operational losses pushed damages beyond $5 million, as outlined in the Wesleyan Waterfall Agreement.
Nov 2022: Fire Sale of Farm after being sabatoged and forced into forbearance
*When Honey Lake Farms sold the farm in fall 2022 to avoid bankruptcy, it unknowingly “bought the fraud” associated with the $2.3 million loan. What should have been a thriving farm asset instead came with hidden liabilities, including fraudulent invoices, fake projects, and unauthorized withdrawals orchestrated by the Cormiers. These hidden losses drained resources and pushed the farm deeper into financial ruin. *(John read carefully)
Late 2023: The Shocking Discovery
In late 2023, Honey Lake Farms received notice that its legacy account had just been closed. This news was shocking, as the account had been ordered closed in March 2021. Investigators discovered that:
The account had been secretly kept open, facilitating unauthorized withdrawals and fraudulent transactions.
Kevin Cormier seent in a fraudulently impersonated a representative of Honey Lake Farms to keep the account active and eventually close it in September 2023.
The scheme relied on the account to hide transactions and perpetuate the fraud long after it was supposed to be closed.
This critical discovery underscored how the Cormiers manipulated financial systems to maintain control and avoid detection.
The Fallout: A Community Left Behind
Honey Lake Farms was not just a financial operation—it was a lifeline for countless individuals seeking mental health care, restoration, and spiritual support. Its closure has had devastating consequences for the community:
Mental and Community Health Programs: Critical services for the under resourced community of Greenville, as well as health and restoration programs were dismantled.
Spiritual Support: Resources for missions and community outreach vanished.
Economic Opportunities: Jobs and local economic activity tied to the farm’s operations disappeared.
“This wasn’t just a theft of money—it was the theft of hope,” said a former supporter. “Kevin and Laura Cormier, and Lisa Stewart betrayed everything the farm stood for.”