Latest news with #Gatlin
Miami Herald
06-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
She's accused of fleecing $3.6 million from Jackson Foundation. Here is what we know
Charmaine Gatlin was on her way to becoming the top executive of Jackson Health Foundation, the fundraising arm of Miami-Dade County's public hospital system. She received high marks on her evaluations as the nonprofit's chief operating officer and was described by her bosses as a 'highly ethical' leader. 'I always do things for the betterment of the foundation,' Gatlin wrote in her 2021 evaluation. Two years later, she said in another evaluation that she was 'refining and enhancing my skills so that I can lead as President/CEO when the time comes.' In late October, Gatlin's rising star imploded. She was put on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation 'related to potential misconduct' got underway. In early November, she was 'terminated for cause' by the Foundation's chairman. Her termination letter, obtained by the Miami Herald, did not elaborate. Her abrupt dismissal led to an FBI probe and a shocking revelation in May: Gatlin, 52, a Foundation executive over the past decade, was arrested on charges of fleecing $3.6 million from her former employer, fabricating fake invoices from vendors and receiving $1 million in kickbacks from them. She used the money to buy Louis Vuitton and Gucci goods, including a Vuitton bag for $4,350, and had a $15,617 rose gold golf cart delivered to her Weston home, court records show. Her alleged defrauding of the Jackson Health Foundation, however, extended well beyond Miami, according to an indictment. It stretched all the way to Atlanta, where an unnamed 'audiovisual company' and a 'co-conspirator' suspected of collaborating with Gatlin submitted $2 million in 'false and fraudulent' invoices to the Foundation for purported services that were instead provided to a civic organization in Georgia's capital, the indictment says. Atlanta connection While the indictment doesn't identify the company or the co-conspirator, the Herald has learned from multiple sources that Gatlin allegedly schemed with Yergan Jones, the CEO of American Sound Design in Atlanta. Public records obtained by the Herald show Jones' company submitted dozens of invoices to the Jackson Health Foundation that Gatlin approved between 2019 and 2024. The indictment alleges the company's invoices were for 'audiovisual services that did not occur' at Jackson Health System or the Foundation. Instead, the Herald has confirmed those services were provided by Jones' company to the civic organization in Atlanta, which is 100 Black Men of America, with chapters nationwide including South Florida. The indictment further alleges that half of the Foundation's $2 million payments to the audiovisual company were 'returned' by the co-conspirator, Jones, to Gatlin's personal bank account. And 'to conceal the kickbacks,' the indictment says, they 'created false invoices making it appear as though Gatlin did 'event management' for the audiovisual company events' at Jackson Health System or the Foundation. Both Gatlin's defense lawyer, David Howard, and Jones' defense lawyer, Hector Flores, declined to comment. Gatlin pleaded not guilty to multiple conspiracy and fraud charges in mid-June in Miami federal court. Jones did not respond to an emailed inquiry by the Herald, and he has not been charged in the case. David Zambrana, president and chief operating officer of Jackson Health System, recently told its governing board that Jackson 'terminated the employees believed to be involved' in Gatlin's alleged scheme. He did not say how many were fired nor did he identify them. Jackson Health System spokesperson Krysten Brenlla declined to provide more details, saying Jackson 'will not be commenting on ongoing criminal proceedings.' In a statement, the 100 Black Men of America said it was not aware of Gatlin's alleged false invoice and payment kickback scheme with Jones and his audiovisual company, including billing the Jackson Health Foundation for services that his firm instead provided to the Atlanta organization. Jones provided those services to the youth mentoring group for its annual conferences between 2019 and 2024 under a different audiovisual company, American Electronic Entertainment, aka, AEE Productions, 100 Black Men of America confirmed. In fact, 100 Black Men of America said it directly paid Jones' company more than $500,000 for his work, but the organization did not provide details of the payments. '100 Black Men of America, Inc. has no knowledge of Ms. Gatlin's alleged receipt of cash payments or fraudulent invoices being submitted by Ms. Gatlin or any other vendors in the indictment involving Jackson Health Foundation,' the organization said in the statement provided to the Herald, adding that 'Gatlin has never been paid by the 100 BMOA as a 'go-between' to then pay vendors for services provided to 100 BMOA.' Gatlin had worked for 100 Black Men of America from 2009 to 2014 before Jackson's Foundation hired her a decade ago. During her tenure at Jackson, she continued to work with the Atlanta organization as an unpaid volunteer. After the Foundation dismissed Gatlin last November, 100 Black Men of America hired her in January as a contractor for its annual conference in 2025 —but fired her in May when the organization said it learned about her indictment. 'We are fully cooperating with law enforcement and will continue to do so until this matter is concluded,' the organization said. Atlanta lawyer Ronald Freeman, who represents Jones' company, AEE Productions, which provided services to 100 Black Men of America, said it was not the audiovisual company referenced in the Gatlin indictment. In a statement, he said: 'We remain confident that the legal process will fairly and accurately determine the facts.' Fraud and money laundering charges Gatlin, a University of Florida graduate with a bachelor's degree in French, was arrested on May 21 in a town near Savannah where she now lives. The indictment, filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young, charged her with a single count of conspiring with other individuals to commit wire fraud, 26 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, the charges carry sentences that could send her to prison for years. Gatlin is accused of authorizing Jackson Health Foundation funds to pay not only Jones' audiovisual company in Atlanta but also a store that sold designer goods and an event planning company in South Florida that created videos, a website and other services for a family member's softball team in Broward County, the indictment says. She's also accused of using the Foundation's money to buy school supplies that were delivered to a church in Riceboro, Georgia, where she lives with her husband. After her arrest, Gatlin was granted a $30,000 bond. Court records show that one of the conditions of her bond was not to contact four contractors, including Jones, who 'were paid' by the Jackson Health Foundation based on 'purported invoices for goods and services approved by' Gatlin, according to the indictment. Trail of 'false' invoices By far, Gatlin's dealings with Jones dominated her alleged criminal activity, the Herald has learned from sources and court records. Jones' company, American Sound Design, submitted about 40 invoices to the Foundation that Gatlin approved between 2019 and 2024 for services that his firm says were provided to the Jackson Health Foundation, according to financial documents obtained by the Herald through a public records request. But Jones is better known as the president of AEE Productions, which on its website claims to have done business for major corporations, such as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines and Walmart, along with NASCAR and 100 Black Men of America. The Jackson Health Foundation was also one of its clients, according to a testimonial by Gatlin, the Foundation's former COO. 'Working with AEE Productions is always an exciting time for me. They listen to my ideas and help me create 'the wow' that I am looking for during each event,' reads an online testimonial by Gatlin on AEE Productions' website. 'I have been working with Yergan and his team for over 15 years and each event is better than the last one.' In the aftermath of her arrest, AEE's website is no longer active. Financial records obtained by the Herald show the Jackson Health Foundation received millions of dollars worth of invoices ranging from $5,900 to $81,500 each from Jones' company. American Sound Design claimed in those bills that it provided lighting, sound, staging and production management services for events at Jackson Health System or the Foundation, the invoices show. But the Gatlin indictment says that Jones' company, though not identified by name, never provided any of these services. And it's unclear from the indictment how many of these events hosted by the Foundation even took place. One American Sound Design invoice for $5,900 was billed to the Jackson Health Foundation for services that Jones' company purportedly provided at the Foundation's annual 'Guardian Angel' luncheon at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne in November 2018. The event, which featured a runway fashion show and a performance by Grammy-nominated recording artist Flo-Rida, raised over $500,000 to support the pediatric neurosurgery program at Holtz Children Hospital, part of Jackson Health System. The Herald has confirmed the event happened. But the indictment says Jones' company provided no services. Another American Sound Design invoice for $30,250 was billed to the Foundation for a 'back-to-school block party' that was held at Gibson Charter School in the Overtown Youth Center in August 2019. Academica, which operates the charter school, did not respond to the Herald's attempts to verify if Jones' company provided services for the event. 'Future CEO' Gatlin, who was described as 'future CEO' in one of her earlier evaluations, managed the Jackson Health Foundation's day-to-day operations while it transitioned several years ago into its current leadership structure, where the president's job was split between Gatlin and co-president and chief development officer Flavia Llizo. In 2023, Gatlin had an 'extensive discussion' with Ana Milton and David Coulson, members of the Foundation's volunteer board, and was given a salary increase and bonus, according to her most recent evaluation. The Foundation's executive committee approved the raise. Gatlin's yearly salary as the Foundation's chief operating officer rose to about $300,000 in 2024. When Gatlin was put on administrative paid leave last fall, Llizo became the Foundation's CEO. Caution label for foundation After Gatlin's firing and the subsequent scandal, the Jackson Health Foundation now has a 'Proceed with Caution' label on the website of Charity Navigator, a nonprofit that rates U.S. charities on a variety of measures, including stability, efficiency and sustainability to help people with their donation decisions. The charity rater references Miami Herald and South Florida Sun Sentinel reporting as the reason for the warning. The month-long investigation and subsequent firing of Gatlin in November came after Jackson Health System discovered a 'misappropriation of funds' while 'restructuring' the Foundation's leadership last year to develop stronger oversight and accountability, according to Zambrana, president and COO of Jackson Health System. Zambrana told the Public Health Trust during its May 28 meeting that the health system had 'fully cooperated' with the investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office. New safeguards, including additional 'financial controls and administrative oversight,' are now in place over the Foundation and Jackson has 'terminated the employees believed to be involved,' he said. 'The allegations of money stolen from the public's health system are egregious, and we are all still reeling from the profound breach of trust and the impact it has on our team, our community and the many people who support Jackson,' Zambrana said, noting that 'integrity is non-negotiable.' 'We will not allow this incident to jeopardize its reputation or its momentum.'
Fox News
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Josh Duhamel shares the refreshing qualities that make his wife the perfect partner in Hollywood
LOS ANGELES - Josh Duhamel admitted that it has gotten "tougher and tougher" for him to balance his career in Hollywood and his family life. During an interview with Fox News Digital, the Bobcat brand ambassador shared that balancing his work as an actor and director while launching a company named Gatlin has proved challenging, but he knows being a father and a husband comes first. "I have to constantly remind myself how important it is – the most important thing I do – is be a good husband and a good father. So yeah, it's a balance, but it's been a good life," Duhamel said. The "Ransom Canyon" star, his wife Audra and their 1-year-old son Shepherd live 40 minutes away from civilization in their "doomsday cabin" in northwest Minnesota. During the interview, Duhamel praised his wife for not getting caught up in the "BS" and being a straight-shooter. "I have to constantly remind myself how important it is – the most important thing I do – is be a good husband and a good father." "Audra is just one of those girls who we get each other. She's also from North Dakota, she's a very practical thinker, she's great with the kids, she's an amazing wife, she's beautiful, and she doesn't get caught up in all the BS you know, she's very straight, and I love that about her," he said. Duhamel purchased some land in Minnesota and spent the last 15 years building a rustic cabin. He eventually added a second parcel that came with a hunting shack and a third parcel that came with a home. During his interview with Fox News Digital, Duhamel shared that he went into business with the Bobcat Company, which makes tools, machines and equipment, to help transform his Minnesota property more efficiently. "So, I have a cabin out in the woods, in Minnesota, right across the border, and I needed help shaping the land. So I bought a Toolcat and then started talking to some of the people over there, and we started working together," he said of his six-year partnership with Bobcat. As part of Bobcat's 2025 "Work Worth Doing" campaign, Duhamel is honoring the firefighters who battled the early 2025 Los Angeles fires. Duhamel will roll up to the fire station in a Bobcat UTV packed with lunch and swag bags to personally thank the firefighters for their service and surprise them with $20,000. A UTV is a "much-needed tool to support this crew as they fight future fires on the ground," according to the company. "Hand crews use hand tools and chainsaws to construct firelines, burn out areas, and perform mop-up work after a wildfire is controlled," they stated. Duhamel told Fox News Digital he was happy to join Bobcat's campaign because he is very proud of the firefighters in Los Angeles. "I think that we all can appreciate how important a strong firefighting community is, and these guys are some of the best in the world at it. They have to be. So I'm very proud, very grateful for their work, as are most people in this town. "So, I think any time I get a chance to support them, I jump at it. I think Bobcat has been great about helping in doing work that matters in these small communities and big communities like Los Angeles," he said. "So when I heard that they wanted to do this here in Los Angeles, I thought it was an amazing idea because this equipment is so important. It really is."
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
JoJo Siwa's ex Kath Ebbs gets very close with Apple Cider Vinegar actress Aisha Dee as they enjoy a night out in LA - and star together in steamy new G Flip music video
Kath Ebbs and actress Aisha Dee appeared to be getting very close and cosy on Friday night as they went out line-dancing in Los Angeles. The Aussie stars could be seen cuddling up on the dance-floor and swaying seductively together as they enjoyed a night out at a Stud Country event. In videos shared to Instagram, Kath, 27, danced with their friends, with one clip showing Aisha, 31, behind them as they grabbed their hips and swayed together. Kath, who recently split from US star JoJo Siwa, appeared to lean into the touch and sang the lyrics 'I'm a slave for you' to the Apple Cider Vinegar star. Moments later in the same clip, Kath could be seen dancing with the same affection with their other friend musician Gatlin. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Kath Ebbs and actress Aisha Dee appeared to be getting very close and cosy on Friday night as they went out line-dancing in Los Angeles It's not the first time Kath and Aisha have been seen getting close, as the pair starred together in G Flip's new all-queer star-cast music video Big Ol' Hammer. The clip briefly saw the friends together, with Kath admiring and squeezing Aisha's muscles as she flexed her arm. G Flip's new song releases on June 11, with the music video jam packed with queer celebrity cameos as they dance and kiss in a mechanics shop. The video begins: 'In the heart of Scissortown, where the streets are wet and the dreams are bold, join G Flip and the crew on a journey of friendship, rebellion, and the horsepower of pride. 'This summer, G Flip has a tool belt with a big ol' hammer!' The non-binary artist can be seen wearing a white tank top as they show off their biceps and dance around with the other queer stars in the shop. As well as Kath and Aisha, other stars appearing in the clip include comedian Fortune Feimster, TikTok star Kate Hina Sabatine, musician Siena Liggins, and model Olly Eley. The L Word star Jacqueline Toboni, songwriter Julianne Hope, YouTuber Shannon Beveridge, and songwriter Jesse Thomas were also included. It's not the first time Kath and Aisha have been seen getting close, as the pair starred together in G Flip's new all-queer star-cast music video Big Ol' Hammer Kath's outing with Aisha comes after after her ex JoJo, 22, confirmed her relationship with Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes. JoJo and Chris, 32, formed a close bond during their 19-day stint in the house earlier this year, with viewers convinced there was more to their friendship. After leaving the house in April, JoJo broke up with Kath at the CBB wrap party, but went on to insist Chris was not to blame and their relationship was strictly platonic. However, JoJo confirmed last month she's made her relationship with Chris official, as she gushed she's 'head over heels' for him after weeks of speculation. While JoJo has been grilled many times on her relationship status, she had been noticeably coy, simply branding Chris her 'favourite person in the world'. But in a new interview with Capital Radio, JoJo confirmed she and Chris have made their relationship official, and she's started calling him her boyfriend. Speaking in a video for the channel's new series Capital Buzz, the dancer admitted she's had to explain her viral 'dream guest on my podcast' moment to Chris. She then added: 'I'm sure it's no secret to people, I am in a lovely relationship with a sweet boy named Christopher Hughes.'
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Ex-COO of Jackson Health Foundation accused of pocketing more than $1M bonds out
Charmaine Gatlin drove all the way from Georgia to make her first appearance on Wednesday afternoon in Miami federal court, where she faced fraud charges alleging she stole millions of dollars from the fundraising arm of Jackson Health System. Gatlin, 52, the former chief operating officer of Jackson Health Foundation, said nothing as a magistrate judge set her bond at $30,000 and her arraignment for later this month. One of the bond conditions prohibits her from contacting co-conspirators and others who are not named in a grand jury indictment. Her husband, Arthur Gatlin, who co-signed the bond, accompanied her to court. After the brief court hearing, Gatlin and her defense attorney, David Howard, declined to comment. Gatlin was arrested on May 21 in a town near Savannah where she now lives. The indictment charges her with a single count of conspiring with other individuals to commit wire fraud, 26 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, the charges carry sentences that could send her to prison for years. Gatlin is accused of directing an almost decade-long kickback scheme in which she pocketed more than $1 million from purported Jackson Health Foundation contractors and used the money to buy expensive designer items from Louis Vuitton and Gucci. She's also accused of paying a vendor to make her a rose gold-covered golf cart valued at more than $15,000 that was delivered to her Weston home in 2023. $3.6 million in 'false' invoices: indictment The indictment says that as the Foundation's COO for the past decade, Gatlin signed off on $3.6 million of 'false' invoices submitted by South Florida and Georgia contractors for goods and services that were not provided to the foundation. She authorized using foundation funds to pay an audiovisual firm, a store that sold designer goods, and an event planning company that created videos, a website and other services for a family member's softball team, the indictment says. Gatlin, who received a bachelor's degree in French from the University of Florida, has ties to several Atlanta-area civic and religious groups. According to the indictment, Gatlin had worked as a vice president at one of those civic organizations before she was hired at the Jackson Health Foundation a decade ago. The indictment says she diverted some of the money from her foundation scheme to pay for services, such as putting together annual conferences between 2019 and 2024, that benefited her former employer in Atlanta. Her former employer is not identified in the indictment, but the Miami Herald has learned its name is 100 Black Men of America, Inc., a youth mentoring organization with headquarters in Atlanta. Gatlin also listed the civic organization on her LinkedIn page, where she indicates she was senior vice president of events and operations from 2006 to 2014. 'The invoices approved by Gatlin made it falsely appear as though the Foundation or Jackson received the goods and services,' the indictment says. Six-figure salary Gatilin started working as an executive for the Foundation in 2014. Her salary as its chief operating officer ranged from $185,000 to $290,000 between 2019 and 2024, according to the indictment. Gatlin, who spent the past decade as the foundation's COO, was fired in November, according to the 20-page indictment, filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Young. Before her departure, she had risen to co-president of the foundation alongside Flavia Llizo, who is now CEO. As co-president and COO of the foundation, Gatlin oversaw financial management, budgeting and special events. 'Possible misappropriation' of funds: audit The Miami Herald reported at the end of January that an audit of the foundation showed that it was under investigation for a 'possible misappropriation' of funds. The audit said the investigation was being conducted by an independent forensic expert and law enforcement. The investigation was brought to light earlier this year by the Public Health Trust, the volunteer board appointed by the county to oversee the tax-subsidized hospital system. Though Jackson Health and the foundation work symbiotically, their finances are separate. The Herald recently requested public records related to the Foundation's audit and Gatlin's alleged misappropriation of funds, including invoices, but Jackson officials said they could not provide them because of the ongoing FBI investigation. The Jackson Health Foundation — which raised more than $9 million for Jackson Health last year — is governed by a volunteer board of directors and helps raise money for one of South Florida's largest public hospitals, Jackson Memorial. It serves as the county's public safety net hospital, providing care to everyone, indigent or not. Miami Herald staff writer Michelle Marchante contributed to this story.
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Miami Herald
Is a Louis Vuitton purse worth stealing from Miami's indigent and uninsured?
The crimes people will commit for a $4,350 Louis Vuitton purse or a $15,600 rose gold-colored golf cart. At least, those are the allegations in a blistering federal indictment unsealed this week in Miami that accuses former Jackson Health Foundation Chief Operating Officer Charmaine Gatlin, 52, of using her decade-long position to help herself to at least $3.6 million of the foundation's funds meant for the needy in our community. According to the indictment, Gatlin didn't just skim — she schemed. Carlos Migoya, the head of Jackson Health System, called Gatlin's actions, if true, 'despicable.' The foundation, governed by a volunteer board of directors, helps raise money to support Jackson Health System, the county's public safety-net hospital system, a taxpayer-supported community institution that provides care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay and whether they have insurance. That worthy mission was apparently lost on Gatlin, though, who was arrested Wednesday in Georgia. She worked for the Jackson foundation from 2014 to 2024, and allegedly approved $2 million in fake invoices from a Georgia-based audio visual company for services that were never rendered. The company, in turn, kicked back $1 million directly to Gatlin, who used it to pay off her personal credit cards. Prosecutors said she even coached the vendor on how to fake the paperwork. In another instance, the feds say Gatlin arranged for vendors to buy luxury goods for her — Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Apple products — with foundation money. There's more: The indictment charges that she submitted a fake invoice to get that rose gold-colored golf cart delivered right to her Weston home — a $15,600 purchase paid for with funds meant to support the critical Jackson mission. As the U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami noted in a press release about the case, as COO, Gatlin's base salary was between $185,000 and $290,000. She even signed a conflict-of-interest form banning her from making decisions that resulted in personal gain. You almost have to admire the gall. Except you don't. Because this is not a victimless crime — the money she allegedly siphoned off was meant to support Jackson's patient care and other parts of the mission. It's not just morally wrong; it's criminal if true — and not a moment of weakness, either. Gatlin allegedly pulled this off for 10 years — a sustained, calculated betrayal of her job. The indictment notes Gatlin moved from Weston to Atlanta after resigning from the foundation in November. She was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 26 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Red flags came up in the annual financial report sent in January to the Public Health Trust, the volunteer board appointed by the county to oversee the public hospital system. But the obvious question: Where were the controls on all that money flowing out the door? If the feds are right, Gatlin ran a one-woman fraud operation under the nose of a major public institution. Jackson Health spokeswoman Lidia Amoretti-Morgado told the Herald in January that the system had 'implemented additional financial controls and administrative oversight of the Foundation, which included the restructuring of its staff.' Better late than never. We should be demanding more answers for the citizens of Miami-Dade — not just about Gatlin but about how a system this vital to Miami-Dade's well-being failed to catch millions of dollars vanishing into designer handbags and golf carts. Sadly, Gatlin's story is part of a familiar Miami-Dade pathology: Public servants who get power all too often act as though 'public service' equals a personal ATM. Prosecutors are throwing the book at her, and they should, based on their indictment. If convicted, Gatlin faces up to 20 years for each count of wire fraud, plus another 10 for money laundering. That might finally send a message. She should also be made to return every penny if she's found guilty. But that's not enough. Miami-Dade's public institutions — especially those tasked with caring for our most vulnerable — must show the public through complete transparency how they have implemented stronger oversight and protections. This indictment should be a turning point. Click here to send the letter.
