CFO Jimmy Patronis Announces Arrest of Unlicensed Polk County Roofer Following Hurricane Milton

POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of WM Roofing owner, Wilmer Maldonado, for allegedly Unlicensed Contracting During State of Emergency and Failure to Secure Worker's Compensation Insurance. Maldonado was arrested by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Disaster Fraud Action Strike Teams (DFAST) deployed by CFO Patronis to fight fraud in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “Since Hurricane Helene and Milton, we have mobilized 130 fraud detectives around our state to go door-to-door in impacted communities to be on the lookout for fraudsters and unlicensed activity. Huge kudos to our DFAST detectives for upholding the law, protecting consumers, and making this arrest. As Floridians begin to recover from these major storms, my fraud detectives will continue to be on the lookout for suspicious or unlicensed contractors looking to make a quick buck off of homeowners in vulnerable states of mind. If you or someone you know is suspicious of fraud, please contact my office immediately at FraudFreeFlorida.com. Also, if anyone has come to your door asking you to sign a document, please DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING! Don’t allow a total stranger to get between you and your insurance claim. If you have already signed a document, please visit our new Check My Contract portal to determine, for free, if your contract meets the letter of Florida law or if you need to void the contract outright.”

On October 23, 2024, the Department of Financial Services, Criminal Investigations Division (CID) deployed law enforcement personnel to deter and detect unlicensed activity in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton. As a strike team was sweeping the area for potential fraudsters, CID Law Enforcement Officers observed workers replacing a roof on a home. Upon further observation, it was determined the business that was listed on the roofing company’s truck, WM Roofing, did not have a valid contractor’s license and did not have any valid workers' compensation insurance. Contact was made with the WM Roofing owner, Wilmer Antonio Maldonado Mancias, who explained he advertises roof replacements and repairs on Facebook, which is how the homeowner contacted his business. The homeowner paid Maldonado a $5,000 deposit. Maldonado further explained that he located the two employees working on the roof earlier that morning in a Home Depot parking lot, and paid them $200 cash for a day's work. The owner contacted a licensed roofer for the use of his license in order to obtain a building permit, however, that licensed business was not involved in any other aspect of the roof replacement. CID now has an ongoing investigation into the licensed roofer who is selling the use of his roofing license to unlicensed personnel.

Wilmer Maldonado was arrested by CID and booked into the Polk County Jail for Unlicensed Contracting During State of Emergency and Failure to Secure Worker's Compensation Insurance. If convicted, Wilmer could face up to 10 years in prison.

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis

Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and X (@FLDFS).