Fraud

The Flagler County Sheriff's Office says Autumn Bardisa, 29, used another nurse’s credentials to work for AdventHealth in Palm Coast for months before the hospital uncovered the scheme.

The Florida Republican is leading a bipartisan effort in the Senate to crack down on financial scams targeting older Americans with a bill aimed at equipping law enforcement with more advanced tools and resources.

PolitiFact found three reports that showed Florida last or second-to-last nationally on mental health care — one from 2025 and two based on data that is at least a decade old. Other rankings put it in a slightly better light.

An indictment filed Thursday in Orlando alleges that, between 2019 and 2022, six men conspired to improperly recruit veterans and collect tuition benefits from the VA.

Those charged include 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and other licensed medical professionals for their participation in fraud involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss.

Officials say prisoners have been using drones to smuggle in contraband cellphones and run cryptocurrency schemes, costing seniors millions.

Consumers who were enrolled fraudulently could receive unexpected tax bills — the first and possibly only clue they were a victim of fraud. Getting help may become difficult amid federal layoffs.

A ransomware-as-a-service software called Medusa, which has launched ransomware attacks since 2021, has recently affected hundreds of people.

By the time the university noticed 12 days later that it had been victimized, nearly all the money had vanished. There were no reports of arrests in the case.

The federal government put guardrails in place to limit unauthorized plan sign-ups and switches. But the changes could prove to be a burden to consumers.

Florida has launched a new contract fraud prevention portal, a pilot program aimed at protecting those affected by Hurricane Milton.

A loophole in state law makes it easy for criminals to commit fraud, Hillsborough Clerk of Courts Cindy Stuart said.