Florida Daily Investigations: Developer Jay Odom Files Suit against Robert Vincent Smith

This week, one of Northwest Florida’s most respected citizens, prominent businessmen, developer Jay Odom, filed a blistering lawsuit against Robert Vincent Smith and yet-to-be identified “John Does 1-10” for violations of the Florida Civil Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The lawsuit seeks to legally stop Smith’s harassing and damaging activities and to recover out-of-pocket damages for civil conspiracy, malicious prosecution, and aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty.

According to the complaint, Smith has engaged in an ongoing fraudulent scheme to extort money from Mr. Odom for nearly two decades by weaponizing government agencies, law firms, and the court system. Despite repeated rejections of Smith’s baseless claims by courts and government agencies, Smith continues to spread false accusations against Mr. Odom for his own personal financial gain.

“Through good times and bad, I have stayed true to my life’s mission of serving others by providing quality homes for people in communities I dearly love,” Odom said. “For the last 20 years, I have had to defend myself against a relentless, hateful campaign of legal harassment, personal defamation, and attempted extortion by Robert Smith – a man who has betrayed any trust I ever held for him. It’s clear that only the court can put an overdue end to these vicious, outrageous, and unfounded attacks.”

Odom’s legal team includes prominent attorney Lazaro Fields, who has won national recognition for his successful work representing former President Donald Trump and winning the “Mar-a-Lago documents” indictment case, which was summarily dismissed by a federal judge.

The complaint outlines Smith’s bizarre and relentless fixation on harming Mr. Odom, including maintaining a high-security safe room in his home where he reportedly studies stockpiles of documents about Mr. Odom, daily.

Mr. Odom has invested significantly in his communities, developing thousands of homesites and world-class facilities in the Florida Panhandle, including the Freedom Tech Center, Uptown Station, and Hammock Bay

Smith’s caustic and cynical campaign against Mr. Odom includes a pattern of false reports to the FBI, IRS, Secret Service, and other agencies, wasting precious taxpayer resources and costing Mr. Odom substantial legal expenses. The lawsuit seeks to properly stop Smith through injunctive relief to prevent further irreparable harm to Mr. Odom and to recover costs incurred due to Smith’s malicious actions.

Friends of Jay Odom describe him as a dedicated community leader and highly respected developer in Northwest Florida, known for his significant contributions to the region’s economic growth and infrastructure development. Through his company, The Jay Odom Group, he has developed numerous residential and commercial properties that served to create many jobs and to enrich the local communities.