James Uthmeier launches new Public Corruption Unit scrutinizing legislative appropriations

Attorney General James Uthmeier is establishing a new Public Corruption Unit to crack down on misuse of funds distributed by the Legislature.

Uthmeier announced that the unit will focus on identifying, investigating and prosecuting cases that involve legislative appropriations and other governmental funds. The Public Corruption Unit is an offshoot of Uthmeier’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.

“Our office is launching this unit to ensure taxpayer dollars are used for the taxpayers’ benefit — not special interests for political insiders or personal gain — (and) we will expose and prosecute anyone using a position of public trust for personal benefit,” Uthmeier said in a news release.

Public Corruption Unit investigators have already been assigned to review legislative appropriations from the past two fiscal years.

Investigators will be focusing largely on legislative funds provided to nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations and other entities that received public assistance. They’ll be looking into potential bribery, extortion, embezzlement, nepotism and kickbacks, among other forms of corruption.

The new unit comes after about a year of conflict between Uthmeier and some state legislators.

The Hope Florida Foundation came under scrutiny after news broke that the organization was funneled $10 million from a Medicaid settlement that was supposed to go to state coffers. Much of that money later ended up in the Keep Florida Clean committee chaired by Uthmeier to fight the marijuana legalization effort in 2024. Uthmeier was Chief of Staff for DeSantis at the time.

Rep. Alex Andrade, a Pensacola Republican, publicly accused Uthmeier of being wrapped up in the scandal and pushed for investigations.

The U.S. Department of Justice this month dismissed its investigation into the Foundation. The probe was looking into controversial funding decisions that vexed Gov. Ron DeSantis and Uthmeier.

The Public Corruption Unit won’t be a function of only the Attorney General’s Office. Uthmeier is teaming up with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason A. Reding Quiñones said his agency will approach investigations with the unit aggressively.

“Public money belongs to the people of Florida, not to insiders, special interests, or anyone looking for a kickback,” Quiñones said. “When bribery, extortion, embezzlement, or misuse of appropriations implicates federal law, we will investigate and prosecute without hesitation.”