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…