TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia turned up the heat on public corruption this Monday, announcing the arrest of five additional current and former state employees. The group is accused of orchestrating an elaborate property damage scheme that siphoned roughly $1.7 million away from Florida taxpayers.
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The investigation, spearheaded by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), uncovered a massive paper trail involving over 220 fraudulent claims.
- The Tactic: The suspects allegedly exploited the Florida Division of Risk Management by filing and approving bogus property damage claims.
- The Ringbeat: Authorities identified Briana McCarthy, a former DFS employee, as the alleged mastermind. She faces a mountain of felony charges, including Aggravated White-Collar Crime, Money Laundering, and Official Misconduct.
- The Reach: The arrests weren’t limited to one office; the net caught employees from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and other state agencies.
A Hard Line on Corruption
CFO Ingoglia sent a blunt message to public servants considering a side hustle at the public’s expense. He emphasized that the state has “zero tolerance” for those who treat taxpayer funds like a personal ATM.
“If you steal from Florida taxpayers, you will go to jail. We are weeding out the bad actors and ensuring every dollar meant for the state is protected.” — CFO Blaise Ingoglia
