Florida Mayor Accused of Grand Theft and Fraud

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa was arrested on Wednesday and faces charges of grand theft and an organized scheme to defraud, according to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. The specific details of the charges have not yet been released.

Uthmeier is scheduled to hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon with Florida's Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Larry Keefe to provide further information. Espinosa, 58, was booked into the Osceola County Jail. Jail records indicate the grand theft charge involves an amount between $20,000 and $100,000.

Espinosa's attorney, Migdalia Perez, stated that the mayor maintains her innocence and intends to challenge the allegations vigorously. "This case involves a publicly approved grant program administered by City staff, not a secret scheme to steal taxpayer money," Perez said in a statement. "The prosecution must establish that the mayor acted with criminal intent. We firmly maintain that she did not. There is a fundamental difference between an alleged ethics violation and a criminal offense. The State cannot transform one into the other without proving every element of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt."

Espinosa has served as the mayor of Kissimmee since November 2024, with her term set to conclude in 2028. The source notes indicate the attorney's statement was provided to ABC News.