TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Georgia man faces charges for allegedly stealing $38,000 meant to help Florida businesses recover from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, using a fraudulent emergency loan application to divert disaster relief funds into his own account.
On Nov. 25, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrest of 31-year-old Carl Anthony Needham Jr., of Atlanta, Georgia, for grand theft, identity theft, and money laundering in connection with the scheme.
Investigators said Needham targeted Florida’s Emergency Bridge Loan (EBL) program, which provides financial support to small businesses rebuilding after storms. The case began when the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a report of identity theft involving an EBL application. FDLE agents found two applications submitted under the same name: one legitimate request for $25,000 and a second fraudulent application for $38,000. While both included the victim’s personal information, the fraudulent application listed a different bank account controlled by Needham.
The fraudulent application was approved, and the funds were deposited into Needham’s account. Authorities say he attempted to conceal the theft by transferring the money across multiple accounts.
On Nov. 19, FDLE agents, in collaboration with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Needham in Georgia. He is currently held at the Paulding County Jail and will be extradited to Taylor County, Florida, where the Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass condemned the crime, saying, “Those funds were intended to help small businesses find their footing after the devastating hurricanes in 2024, not for criminals to steal and fund their criminal activities.”
The investigation was a joint effort involving FDLE, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Commerce, and Georgia authorities.
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