TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Georgia man is accused of orchestrating a scheme to steal disaster-relief funds meant for Florida small businesses recovering from the 2024 hurricanes. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has arrested 31-year-old Carl Anthony Needham Jr. of Atlanta on charges of grand theft over $20,000, identity theft, and money laundering.
According to FDLE, the investigation started after the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a report that someone used another person’s identity to submit an Emergency Bridge Loan application through the Florida Department of Commerce. The program was designed to support businesses impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.
Detectives discovered two applications filed under the victim’s name: a legitimate $25,000 request submitted by the real applicant, and a second fraudulent one seeking $38,000. Both applications used the victim’s personal information, but the second listed a different bank account. That fraudulent loan was approved, and the funds were deposited into an account linked to Needham.
Investigators say Needham tried to conceal the stolen money by moving it through several financial accounts. After identifying him as the suspect, FDLE agents, with help from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, arrested him on November 19. He was booked into the Paulding County Jail and will be extradited to Taylor County, Florida.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said the agency remains committed to protecting Floridians from fraud, noting that the stolen money was intended to help small businesses rebuild. Taylor County Sheriff Wayne Padgett praised the collaboration between his office and FDLE, saying the case required a coordinated cross-state effort.
The Florida Department of Commerce and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation. The Third Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office is handling the prosecution. The investigation remains active.
Leave a Reply