A former state representative from central Florida has been arrested on federal fraud charges, reported the Orlando Sentinel.
Carolina Amesty “faces two counts of theft of government property related to COVID relief fraud, each of which carries a maximum of 10 years in federal prison,” according to the report. Amesty stole $122,000 from federal pandemic programs by “fraudulently applying relief funds in the name of two businesses,” federal prosecutors allege.
COVID pandemic relief money for businesses has been plagued with fraud, as they were designed to deliver relief quickly to prevent mass layoffs. The program has faced questions over whether enough checks were instituted to ensure the money would be used as intended. In 2023, former state Rep. Joe Harding, the former Florida lawmaker behind the infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, pleaded guilty to another COVID fraud scheme and was sentenced to four months in prison…