ORLANDO, FL — Carolina Amesty, a former state representative from central Florida, has been arrested on federal fraud charges, accused of stealing $122,000 in COVID-19 relief funds.
Amesty, 43, faces two counts of theft of government property related to the fraudulent acquisition of federal pandemic relief, with each count carrying a potential 10-year prison sentence. Federal prosecutors allege that Amesty applied for the relief funds in the name of two businesses, ultimately diverting the money for personal use.
The federal government’s pandemic relief programs, designed to provide fast financial support to businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, have been marred by instances of fraud. These programs were intended to help prevent mass layoffs but faced criticism over inadequate fraud prevention measures. Amesty’s arrest follows similar cases of COVID relief fraud, including that of former state representative Joe Harding, who pleaded guilty to related charges in 2023.
In addition to the federal charges, Amesty had been facing state charges in an unrelated financial crimes case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement had investigated Amesty for allegedly forging a man’s signature on a licensing form for a private college run by her family. However, those charges were dropped in December after Amesty completed community service and a financial crimes course.
This arrest is part of ongoing efforts by the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force, a group created by the U.S. Attorney General in 2021 to investigate and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force works with various agencies to combat fraudulent schemes and ensure relief funds are distributed properly.
