A Georgia man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he hijacked a Florida business owner’s identity to siphon off thousands of dollars in emergency hurricane relief aid.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrest of Carl Anthony Needham Jr., 31, of Atlanta, on Tuesday. He is accused of using the chaos following Hurricanes Milton and Helene to defraud the state’s Emergency Bridge Loan (EBL) program.
According to investigators, the scheme began when a victim in Taylor County submitted a legitimate application for a $25,000 loan to repair storm damage to their business. Unknown to the applicant, a second application was filed under their name—this one requesting $38,000.
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While both applications used the victim’s personal identity information, the fraudulent $38,000 request directed the funds to a different financial institution. Officials say that application was approved, and the money was deposited into an account controlled by Needham.
Detectives allege that once Needham received the state funds, he attempted to cover his tracks by transferring the money across several different financial accounts.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass condemned the alleged theft, emphasizing that the loan program is designed as a lifeline for struggling local economies.
“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,” Glass said.
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The investigation was launched after the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received an identity theft report regarding the loan applications. Sheriff Wayne Padgett noted that the complexity of the case quickly required resources beyond county lines.
“When this fraud case surfaced, it quickly became clear that the investigation spanned jurisdictions beyond our authority,” Padgett said. “I’m proud of the work our investigators do alongside FDLE. Their partnership helps ensure a thorough, impartial process.”
Needham was taken into custody in Georgia on November 19 by FDLE agents working alongside the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently being held in the Paulding County Jail awaiting extradition to Taylor County.
Needham is charged with one count each of grand theft between $20,000 and $100,000, identity theft, and money laundering. The case is being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Third Judicial Circuit.
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