TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—A Leon County Circuit Judge today ruled in favor of Attorney General Ashley Moody in the state’s case against the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence—appointing a receiver to take control of FCADV. The order comes a week after Attorney General Moody filed a complaint and emergency motion to appoint receiver against FCADV and the FCADV Foundation for misappropriation of public funds and private donations. The complaint seeks to responsibly dissolve or reorganize the nonprofit once evidence is collected, funds are rightfully recovered and another entity can take over the duties assigned to FCADV.
While this litigation is still ongoing, the appointment of a receiver is an important action to help preserve forensic evidence for several investigations into the troubled nonprofit charged with helping victims of domestic violence.
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “The appointment of a receiver is an important step in the ongoing efforts to get to the bottom of the gross misappropriation of public funds by FCADV and its former CEO Tiffany Carr. I am grateful for the swift action of Judge Ronald Flury and I have full confidence that this will help further the ongoing investigations by preserving forensic evidence, while ensuring Florida’s 42 domestic violence shelters statewide receive the funding they need to help domestic violence victims and their children heal.”
The complaint also seeks to recover from Carr all, or at least part, of the $7.5 million paid to Carr. According to an ongoing Florida House investigation, two top FCADV officials testified that Carr ordered them to redirect state grant money from the Florida Department of Children and Families to fund excessive executive compensation—including bonuses and paid time off. According to the investigation, Carr cashed out the PTO account before leaving FCADV and collected approximately $4 million, subjecting FCADV to nearly $1 million in tax liability.
For more information on last week’s announcement, click here.
