TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida authorities have arrested 10 individuals in connection with a $1.7 million fraud scheme targeting state taxpayers, Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced.
The scheme involved fraudulent property damage claims processed through the Florida Division of Risk Management. The most recent arrests include Shelton Allen, Latasha Belford, Cervantes Galloway, and Ni’jah Johnson, each charged with grand theft. Allen, Belford, and Johnson also face fraud-related charges.
“I said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you steal from Florida taxpayers, you will go to jail,” Ingoglia said. “I promised that my investigators would be making more arrests in this case, and I am proud to announce that we have delivered on that promise.”
The investigation was conducted by the Florida Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division with cooperation from multiple state agencies. Earlier arrests included Briana McCarthy, believed to have led the operation by processing over 220 suspicious property damage claims. McCarthy faces multiple charges, including grand theft, aggravated white-collar crime, money laundering, scheme to defraud, communications fraud, official misconduct, and forgery.
Additional arrests involve former employees of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation: Brianna Hannan, charged with grand theft, and Carlotta Hawkins, charged with grand theft and cash deposit bank item with intent to defraud.
Other individuals charged with grand theft include Kearia Walker, Whitney Branch, and Kavon Reese. Branch additionally faces a charge for attempting to cash a deposit or bank item with intent to defraud.
CFO Ingoglia emphasized that rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds remains a top priority for the state.
