Frank Kruppenbacher, a once-powerful public attorney, violated a state ethics law while serving as the top lawyer at the Florida Virtual School, according to an agreement the Florida Commission on Ethics unanimously approved Friday.
In the agreement, hashed out by attorneys for Kruppenbacher and the commission, Kruppenbacher admitted to one ethics violation — having a virtual school employee do work for his private business. The punishment is public censure, reprimand and a $5,000 fine, the agreement says.
Kruppenbacher has had a long legal career in Central Florida, serving as attorney for Orange County Public Schools, the virtual school, a half dozen government agencies and, most recently, the Osceola County school district. He left the Osceola position in September. He also served for seven years as the influential chairman of the board that oversees Orlando International Airport.
At one point, Orlando Magazine named him one of the city’s most powerful people seven years in a row.
In 2021, the ethics commission found probable cause that Kruppenbacher had committed six violations of state ethics laws.