Ex-Florida lawmaker Carolina Amesty accused of stealing money through COVID loans

This story is shared with permission of ClickOrlando-WKMG-News 6. 

Carolina Amesty, the former west Orange County state representative, is facing accusations of defrauding the federal loan program for organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A criminal complaint filed in federal court Thursday says Amesty and a relative filed 15 applications on behalf of several entities she has ties to through several Economic Injury Disaster Loan program applications in 2020, receiving thousands of dollars in loans meant to help businesses and nonprofits hut by the pandemic.

However, investigators say in applications for at least two of those organizations, the Carolina Amesty Foundation Inc. and Dinocar Auto Sales LLC, Amesty misrepresented information, including their gross revenues, number of employees, and when the entities were even incorporated.

Investigators also say that Dinocar Auto Sales did not have a license to operate as a car dealer in Florida. The business allegedly submitted a dealer registration form for another company, and invoices showing the purchase of vehicles by the company.

However, investigators say they interviewed that company’s owner and he says his dealer license was used to buy vehicles at auction for a relative of Amesty’s, but he did not recognize Dinocar Auto Sales LLC.

The criminal complaint claims subpoenaed bank statements show money from the loans was transferred to other businesses or people.

In the case of Dinocar Auto Sales, the complaint says an FBI analysis found loan money transferred from the business’ account was used for personal expenses, including credit card payments and furniture purchases.

In all, the complaint accuses Amesty of stealing or embezzling $122,000 in federal loan dollars — $84,500 through Carolina Amesty Foundation and $37,500 through Dinocar Auto Sales LLC.

The two counts of theft of government property carry a maximum of 10 years in federal prison.

Amesty, a Republican, was elected to represent west Orange County in the Florida House and served from 2022 to 2024. She lost her reelection bid to Democrat Leonard Spencer.

Amesty was arrested last August on charges of forgery related to documents for the private school she is president of. However, the state attorney dropped those charges in return for Amesty attending a diversion program.