The attorney representing Leo Govoni over findings that he was liable for $122 million in missing medical trust fund money is withdrawing from the case, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Edward Peterson III, an attorney with the firm Johnson Pope Bokor Ruppel & Burns, filed a motion to withdraw as counsel for Govoni and Boston Finance Group, the LLC that Govoni runs. The motion did not specify what differences the parties were unable to reconcile.

The motion states that Peterson “has not been advised as to whether Boston Finance Group, LLC and Leo J. Govoni will be retaining substitute counsel.”

It asks that “all current deadlines and hearings be continued” for 60 days so the plaintiffs can “secure replacement counsel.”

At issue is $142 million in missing benefits for disabled people the special needs trust was supposed to administer. Last month, Middle District of Florida Judge Roberta Colton found Govoni and Boston Finance Group liable for $122 million in missing funds from the Special Needs Trust Administration, a bankrupt nonprofit Govoni ran that oversaw medical trust funds for more than 2,000 people with injuries and disabilities. Govoni was accused of providing a $100 million loan from the trust to Boston Finance Group.

The organization filed for bankruptcy last February. It had been holding funds in trusts for disabled people for nearly a quarter century.

Several businesses and a lawyer with ties to Govoni have been subpoenaed for records relating to the ongoing bankruptcy case against Govoni and his business.

The businesses that were subpoenaed — Gravitas Tech, Old Line Manufacturing and USSI Holdings — all have either direct or indirect ties to Govoni. The individual, George G. Pappas, is a north Pinellas County-based lawyer.

All were asked to provide requested documents, electronically stored information and objects specified under the subpoena by Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. It’s not clear whether the information was submitted as required, or if the subpoenas had anything to do with Peterson’s withdrawal from the case. The deadline under the subpoena was just one day before the motion to withdraw was filed.

The items requested under the subpoena include anything related to the debtor in the case, the Special Needs Trust Administration, which Govoni controlled. It also requests any documents “evidencing payments you received from the Debtor and the reason for those payments.”

Subpoenaed individuals and businesses also must provide their “corporate formation documents, operating agreements and any amendments” related to formation, as well as tax returns and financial statements; a list of assets; loan or financing agreements; a list of individuals or entities owed money; a list of any person or entity who owes them money; a list of business members or shareholders; and more.

Attorney General Ashley Moody is suing Govoni and other defendants over the accusation they stole money from beneficiaries, “many of whom were already the victims of at least one horrific event resulting in debilitating personal injury,” according to her lawsuit.

In July, a defendant in the lawsuit from Moody’s Office, reached a deal with plaintiffs. Karen Fisher, who served as the Director and Secretary of the special needs trust, agreed to fully cooperate with officials in the ongoing investigation in return for suspending a $10,000 fine against her in the case.

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On a stressful day in the office, Mark Kaplan went outside to get some fresh air in Gainesville.

He walked around the University of Florida campus on a quick break when he stopped and took in the scene — a student ukulele club playing. Kaplan couldn’t help but smile.

Kaplan has long felt the magic of working for UF as Vice President for Government and Community Relations. This has been a dream job for Kaplan, a lifelong Gator fan.

But at 57, Kaplan said he is stepping back from his role after dealing with health issues and going on medical leave this year. Kaplan said he is optimistic about his continued recovery but decided it is the right time to move on.

“I’ve only got one of me to take care of. This has been a good reminder of putting my attention on what’s most important,” Kaplan said.

Interim UF President Kent Fuchs praised Kaplan’s tenure in an email sent to his leadership team announcing his upcoming departure.

“The relationships Mark has built and the respect he has earned during his decades of leadership in Florida have served UF incredibly well,” Fuchs wrote. “The university community and I have benefited in countless ways from his wisdom, collaborative spirit, calm, steady approach to his work, and ability to get things done.”

Kaplan became the UF Vice President of Government and Community Relations in 2018 — 30 years after he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science at UF.

“In a lot of ways, this is a dream job to get to do this at your alma mater,” said Kaplan, who called working in higher education “intellectually stimulating.”

Kaplan said he got a front row seat as UF was on the cutting-edge of artificial intelligence and college athletes have been transformed by NIL payments in recent years.

Kaplan’s carefully planned day could get blown up at anytime; he never knew what he could get thrown into, he said. That made his work unpredictable and exciting.

“Just the vastness of UF creates a certain novelty every single day,” Kaplan said. “We talk about UF being among the most comprehensive universities in the country, with one of the few places in the country that has a vet school and a pharmacy school and a medical school and a law school. And one of the things that comes from all of that is it adds to the scope of things that you’re paying attention to and issues that you get to work on.”

The job could be grueling — Kaplan was on the road several months a year.

UF operates offices year-round in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.

Kaplan’s traveled to Tallahassee during the Legislative Session and committee weeks to advocate for more investment in UF since tuition has remained relatively flat for the past decade, Kaplan said. In D.C., the office lobbied for more funding for the state and collaborated with other university associations and organizations to advance higher education.

“It would be impossible to overstate how much of a force for good Mark has been for our state, our university, and the scores of people he’s mentored along the way. Through example, he has taught a generation of Florida leaders how to approach problems with humility, alacrity, patience, and perspective,” said Chris Emmanuel, UF’s Director of Government Relations.

Before UF, Kaplan’s career included high-profile roles in all three branches of government.

Kaplan worked as Gov. Jeb Bush’s Chief of Staff, special counsel for the Speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives and a judicial clerk to a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. 

Other stops included working as the executive director for the Florida Housing Finance Corp., the state’s affordable housing agency, and as global head of public affairs at the Mosaic Company.

But returning to Gainesville was special for Kaplan. It’s where he once played tuba in the marching band and piccolo during basketball games as a UF undergraduate.

Kaplan still returns with his tuba to play with alumni and the college band for the Homecoming game’s halftime show.

“My back was stronger when I was 18 years old than it is today,” Kaplan said. “It’s gotten harder, but I can still do it. It’s still a lot of fun, something I look forward to.”

In an interview this week with Florida Politics, Kaplan acknowledged the bittersweet feelings of leaving a job he values while also looking forward to the next chapter of his life. 

He jokes he can finally find time for a hobby.

Kaplan and his wife, Sherry, will travel and spend more time with their family, which includes four adult children, he said.

“I have no idea what the next couple of decades are going to hold, but I’m excited about being able to take a little bit of time for myself and for my family and just sort of be open to the universe,” Kaplan said.

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Thinking of getting into the increasingly popular cryptocurrency craze? Be especially careful when using crypto ATMs, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and AARP Florida warn.

Crypto ATMs, known commonly as bitcoin ATMs, or BTMs, are becoming more common across the country and in Florida. They enable users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies like bitcoin using cash or debit cards.

But there’s been a rise in fraud cases involving the machines, particularly against seniors, prompting federal and state lawmakers to file legislation to better regulate them. The Federal Trade Commission reported more than $65 million in fraud losses at BTMs in the first half of 2024, 540% more than in all of 2020.

Until more stringent regulations are passed in the Sunshine State, residents need to be aware of the dangers of using BTMs, said Mike Duffey, FDLE Cyber and Technology Bureau Special Agent in Charge.

“Crypto ATMs are often used in online crypto scams, and victims can lose thousands of dollars thinking their deposits are safe,” Duffey said in a statement.

“Usually located inside convenience stores, these ATMs take cash deposits which are converted into cryptocurrency. Criminals can exploit these crypto ATMs and redirect a citizen’s deposits to the criminal’s own account, where the digital currency is often unrecoverable.”

Duffey cautioned Floridians to be especially cautious when dealing with people they just met online.

“(Ask) yourself this question: Why do the monies have to be sent in the form of cryptocurrency?” he said. “(Take) the time to validate information on the individual you’re talking with, and, before you deposit any monies into a crypto ATM, please discuss the situation with your family and friends or reach out to your local law enforcement for advice.”

In a joint news release with FLDE, AARP Florida offered three safety tips:

— Government agencies, like law enforcement, will never ask for payments in crypto.

— Avoid using QR codes shared via text or email while using BTMs.

— BTMs are not a safe way to “protect” money from being stolen or seized.

Concern about BTM scams have mounted in recent years.

On Tuesday, Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois announced he was filing the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act. The measure would prevent new users from spending more than $2,000 in a day or $10,000 in a two-week period at the kiosks. It would also compel companies to speak directly with new customers who want to make transactions over $500 and require them to provide full refunds to users who file police reports and inform the companies of suspected fraud within 30 days of a transaction.

State lawmakers have filed legislation to address the issue too. One such bill in Arizona, sponsored by Republican state Reps. David Marshall and Michael Way, would limit how much money users can put into BTMs and require operators to be more transparent about the fees they charge.

Attorneys General have also sounded the alarm. An investigation that Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s Office commenced in late 2023 found that more than 96% of the money Iowans reportedly sent through two BTM operators, Bitcoin Depot and CoinFlip — the latter of which holds a large share of the BTM market in Florida — were scam transactions.

An overwhelming share of the scams targeted people 60 and older, Bird’s Office said.

On Wednesday, Bird announced lawsuits against both BTM companies, which she accused of fleecing Iowans for millions of dollars.

“Con artists are evil and will stop at nothing to steal everything you have,” Bird said in a statement. “We already know that they target older Iowans, but now it seems that they even hunt through obituaries to target widows. They convince these older women that they need help, and then send their victims to crypto ATMs. And the crypto ATM companies take a cut of the profits. It’s not just wrong, it’s illegal.”

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