CFO Jimmy Patronis Returns More than $33 Million in Unclaimed Property in December
01/05/24
Tallahassee, Fla. - Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that more than $33 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians during the month of December. Since CFO Patronis took office in 2017, more than $2.2 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to Florida citizens. Read more...
CFO Patronis Announces Arrest of Lee County Contractor in $214,000 Fraud Scheme
12/04/23
Lee County, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of independent contractor Ricky McGraw, owner of SFR Services (SFR), for his alleged involvement in intentionally inflating and overbilling a roof replacement claim to defraud Tower Hill Insurance Company (Tower Hill) out of more than $214,000. McGraw was booked into Lee County jail on charges of Insurance Fraud and Grand Theft, both first-degree felonies. Read more...
CFO Jimmy Patronis Announces Four Arrests in Tampa Roofing Fraud Scheme
12/1/2023
Tampa, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Paul Vautour, former Vice-President of Sales for Castle Roofing Company (Castle) and three other employees including Kiana Vatour, Robert Lusk Sr., and Robert Lusk Jr. for their alleged involvement in intentionally and schematically causing damage to homeowner’s roofs to file fraudulent property insurance claims to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens).
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CFO Patronis Announces Arrest of Palm Beach Insurance Agent in $131,000 Fraud Scheme
11/01/23
Tallahassee, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Florida insurance agent Naser Al-Sweity, who allegedly misappropriated more than $131,000 in premium funds from several insurance consumers, resulting in the cancellation of coverage and leaving one policyholder on the hook for $1 million in repairs following Hurricane Ian.
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CFO Patronis Announces Arrest of Four Miami Insurance Agents in Life Insurance Fraud Scheme10/23/2023
Miami, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of four licensed insurance agents in Miami-Dade County identified as Alexander Faneites, Nicolas Giraldo Gutierrez, Yuriatsi Carrasco and Yanet Hernandez Suarez for allegedly submitting fraudulent life insurance policy applications to collect commission monies paid for each new policy. In total, more than $38,000 was taken in fraudulent commission payouts. Read more...
Insurance Villages Recovered $7.5 Million for Southwest Florida Policyholders on Hurricane Ian Anniversary
10/2/2023
Miami, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that recent Hurricane Ian insurance villages in Southwest Florida issued nearly $7.5 million for policyholders in insurance claims checks. Last week, approximately 15 insurance companies, including representatives from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the Florida Department of Business Regulation (DBPR), and the Florida Association of Public Adjusters, were on hand at three insurance villages in Punta Gorda and Ft. Myers to assist more than 400 southwest Florida consumers impacted by Hurricane Ian.
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CFO Jimmy Patronis Announces $11 Million Insurance Fraud Arrest in Broward County
9/28/2023
Coral Springs, Fla. – Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Angela Augustine, an insurance claims adjuster, for allegedly conducting an $11.6 million automobile insurance fraud scheme. Using access to auto insurance claims, Augustine allegedly reopened numerous claims and issued settlement checks to approximately 326 alleged co-conspirators.
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