PICTURED: Former CEO of Florida’s domestic abuse charity Tiffany Carr, 54, is arrested and hit with felony charges for defrauding the nonprofit of $3.4M
PHOTO: Former CEO of Florida’s domestic violence charity Tiffany Carr, 54, is arrested and charged with defrauding the nonprofit of $3.4 million
- Tiffany Carr, 54, was charged with three felonies in connection with the theft of millions of dollars intended to help victims of domestic violence
- A warrant had been issued for Carr’s arrest, and she eventually turned herself in to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina on Monday.
The former CEO of Florida’s federally recognized domestic violence charity has been arrested and charged with defrauding the nonprofit of more than $3.4 million.
Tiffany Carr, 54, was charged with three felonies in connection with the theft of millions of dollars intended to help victims of domestic violence.
She was the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence, along with its CFO Patricia Duarte, 57, who was also charged with each count of organized scheme to commit fraud, grand theft and official misconduct.
A warrant was issued for Carr’s arrest and she eventually turned herself in to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina on Monday.
An image of the “selfish and greedy” Carr in jail was released today by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as they announced her felony charges.
A warrant was issued for Carr’s arrest and she eventually turned herself in to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina on Monday. A photo of her in jail was released today by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as they announced her felony charges
The nonprofit — which managed more than $52 million annually — was founded 11 years ago to raise and distribute state and federal grants to give to local shelters to help victims of abuse.
But the company was dramatically dissolved by the state of Florida in 2021 after investigators inspected the fraud scheme.
Carr and Duarte both gave themselves high salaries and time off, falsified reports and billed the state for positions that were vacant, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
“The ill-gotten funds were used for excessive bonuses and left payouts to Carr and Duarte in the form of $3.4 million to Carr and $291,000 to Duarte,” the FDLE said.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said: “These officers were tasked with leading an organization to assist those seeking a safe haven from abuse.
“Instead of ensuring that state funds would help those in need, they plotted to steal more than $3.7 million for inflated salaries and vacations.
“We previously took civil action to get rid of the organization’s poor management, and now we are filing criminal charges against these former officials.”
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said: “Government corruption is a disease that weakens trust in our institutions and takes vital resources away from our citizens who need them most.
Tiffany Carr, 54, was charged with three felonies in connection with the theft of millions of dollars intended to help victims of domestic violence
“The allegations against Tiffany Carr and her co-conspirator are absolutely despicable, and it is time for them to be held accountable for their actions.
“I am grateful for the hard work of so many, including my certified fraud detectives, the FDLE and the Attorney General’s Office, in helping to bring these bad actors to justice and hold them accountable to the Floridians they were designed to serve.”
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass said, “Nonprofits exist to improve the lives of others, but during our investigation it became clear that all these FCADV directors were serving each other for.
“Their selfishness and greed came at the expense of the victims of domestic violence who needed their organization most.
“I appreciate the work of our agents and analysts who examined years of documentation to detail these crimes, as well as the DCF who assisted in this case.”