Multiple People, Including Ex-State Employees, Arrested in Florida Over $1.7M in Bogus Vehicle Damage Claims
Six people, including Florida government employees, were arrested for participating in an alleged $1.7M scam involving bogus vehicle-damage claims. The scheme allegedly involved damage claims processed through the Florida Division of Risk Management.
According to Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, the scam was led by a former program specialist for the Florida Department of Financial Services. Between 2021 and 2024, she allegedly approved fraudulent damage claims for vehicles that were supposedly damaged on state roads. She then split the proceeds with others in the conspiracy.
Ingoglia stated in a press release that during that period, she processed more than 220 suspicious damage claims. She also allegedly recruited others to participate and altered or submitted fraudulent documents on their behalf. The claims resulted in $1.7 million in fraudulent payouts.
How the scam worked and the resulting charges
She was charged with grand theft, aggravated white-collar crime, money laundering, scheme to defraud, criminal use of personal identification information, communications fraud, official misconduct, and forgery.
Another former employee of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation was also charged with grand theft. Arrest records show that the state employee was initially contacted by a family member of the ringleader to see if she wanted to make some “extra” money.
She claimed her vehicle was damaged by a pothole and filed a claim with the Department of Transportation. The ringleader approved the claim, and she was given a check for $7,689. Allegedly, the ringleader and the member of her family each also received the same amount.
A former employee of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation was charged with grand theft and cash deposit bank item with intent to defraud. She allegedly received a check for $7,675 for a claim involving vehicle damage.
More arrests are expected in this case
Three other non-state employees face charges of grand theft and cash deposit bank item with intent to defraud. Additional arrests in this case are expected in the coming weeks, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.
“Let me be crystal clear: If you steal from Florida taxpayers, you will go to jail,” said Ingoglia. “Our Criminal Investigations Division investigators are working hard to put bad actors behind bars and hold fraudsters accountable. As CFO, I will not allow waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars to be left unchecked, and I will pursue any criminal attempting to steal from the taxpayers to the fullest extent of the law.”
A Florida Department of Financial Services spokesperson did not respond to a Feb. 6 email from the Tallahassee Democrat seeking to find out how the scam went undetected for years.
