5 arrested in Miami-Dade insurance fraud scheme, official says
Five people were arrested in a scheme that involved a staged Miami-Dade car wreck and nonexistent medical treatments an effort to defraud two insurance companies out of more than $58,000, according to the office of Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.
Former Miami-Dade school bus driver charged in $50,000 insurance fraud scheme
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A former Miami-Dade County school bus driver was arrested Tuesday on accusations that she collected about $50,000 after filing numerous fraudulent insurance claims. “Fraud increases insurance rates for families across Florida and I appreciate the continued hard work of my fraud detectives to bring scam artists to justice.”AdAccording to Bureau of Insurance Fraud detectives with Patronis’ Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Aaron filed more than 10 fraudulent insurance claims from October 2016 to July 2018. Detectives said Aaron confessed to the fraud after being confronted with the evidence against her. She turned herself in to authorities on Tuesday and was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on charges of making false and fraudulent insurance claims, organized scheme to defraud and grand theft. At the time, Miami-Dade County Public Schools officials confirmed that Aaron had been employed with the school district for 14 years.
DeSantis: Hospitals to be prioritized based on how quickly they distribute COVID-19 vaccine to seniors
Ron DeSantis held a news conference regarding the state’s rollout of the coronavirus vaccine Wednesday morning in Pensacola, at which time he announced more vaccination sites up north and said that the state will distribute more vaccines next week to hospitals that are “blowing through” them. He said the state expects to receive another shipment of the vaccine next week. “So the hospitals that are blowing through, that can do more, we want to be able to give them more,” DeSantis said. The governor said the state is also working to open more drive-through sites for seniors. “As soon as more vaccine is available, we’re looking at ways to be able to get that into the community and, at this point, the hospitals have been given enough vaccine for their frontline workers,” he said.
Florida is holding $2 billion in unclaimed money. Check if any of it is yours.
The state of Florida is holding more than $2 billion in unclaimed property waiting for rightful owners to come forward and take what belongs to them. This unclaimed property can be the result of bank accounts left dormant, unclaimed insurance proceeds, stocks, refunds, or even abandoned safe deposit boxes. One in five Floridians has unclaimed funds from a forgotten financial account, the state says, and it’s free to claim it. “Currently, the Miami area holds more than $835 million in unclaimed property and now is the perfect time to search to see if you or your business has unclaimed property in Florida,” Patronis said in a news release. “With the holiday season being an expensive time of year, we could all use a little extra spending money.
Back-to-school sales tax holiday kicks off Friday
MIAMI - Chances are, you've already seen the aisles of school supplies at your local supermarket, and this weekend is when you'll want to stock up on those necessities. Qualifying items that will be exempt from tax include certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item; as well as clothing, footwear and certain accessories selling for $60 or less per item. Computers and certain accessories selling for $1,000 or less per item also qualify when purchased for noncommercial home or personal use. Florida officials said the average family will spend $700 on school supplies this year. Click here for more information about the sales tax holiday.
Florida Cabinet fires top banking regulator amid sexual harassment allegations
Financial Regulation Commissioner Ronald Rubin was fired amid allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Cabinet has fired the state's top banking regulator amid allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct. The firing of Financial Regulation Commissioner Ronald Rubin on Thursday comes a week after the release of a state investigator's report asserting sufficient evidence to support the allegations against him. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis voted to dismiss Rubin and to launch a search for a replacement. Rubin's attorney failed to persuade the four-member Cabinet to issue a censure instead of a pink slip.