Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa arrested on fraud charges over $50,000 in COVID relief funds

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested Wednesday, October 21, and charged with grand theft and organised scheme to defraud, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced on social media.

Uthmeier wrote: “This morning, we arrested Kissimmee mayor Jackie Espinosa and are charging her with Grand Theft and Organised Scheme to Defraud.”

A news conference was scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Attorney General’s Orlando office, where CFO Blaise Ingoglia and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Keefe were expected to speak.

The arrest follows months of legal and political turmoil. In September, the Florida Commission on Ethics censured Espinosa and recommended a $2,000 fine after investigating whether she funnelled $50,000 in city COVID-19 relief funds to businesses tied to her family.

A special prosecutor’s July report found probable cause to pursue impeachment on three of seven alleged ethics violations involving grants through the city’s Business Boost 2.0 program, funded by American Rescue Plan Act money.

The report alleged Espinosa “took public monies without disclosing her personal interests” and failed to return the funds after being advised it was improper.

City commissioners deadlocked 2-2 in August on whether to proceed with an impeachment trial, falling short of the required 3-1 vote. Espinosa, who took office in 2024, has maintained that city staff didn’t warn her that accepting the funds was inappropriate.