Latest news with #LeoGovoni
Washington Post
18 hours ago
- Washington Post
2 Florida men are accused of stealing millions from trust fund for people with special needs
Two Florida men have been indicted in what prosecutors describe as a scheme to steal more than $100 million from a nonprofit that managed funds for people with disabilities and special needs. Federal authorities this week unsealed an indictment charging Leo J. Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Witeck, 60, of Tampa, with multiple counts including mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, they face decades in prison.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
2 Florida men are accused of stealing millions from trust fund for people with special needs
Two Florida men have been indicted in what prosecutors describe as a scheme to steal more than $100 million from a nonprofit that managed funds for people with disabilities and special needs. Federal authorities this week unsealed an indictment charging Leo J. Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Witeck, 60, of Tampa, with multiple counts including mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, they face decades in prison. The case involves one of the nation's largest administrators of special needs trusts, which are designed to manage funds for people with special needs. The Center for Special Needs Trust Administration in Clearwater, which Govoni co-founded 25 years ago, managed more than 2,000 accounts containing about $200 million for people in Florida and around the nation. Clients were promised that the nonprofit would protect and invest their money, prosecutors say. But Govoni and Witeck, an accountant who worked with Govoni, used the nonprofit as a 'slush fund' to enrich themselves, court papers state. Govoni is accused of using money from the nonprofit to travel on private jets, pay living expenses for his friends and family and live a lavish lifestyle 'complete with luxury boxes at Tampa Bay Buccaneers games and the Kentucky Derby,' prosecutors said in court records. No lawyers for Govoni or Witeck are listed in court files. Two lawyers listed as representing Govoni in a separate bankruptcy case did not immediately respond to phone and email messages requesting comment on Tuesday. A third lawyer who has represented the nonprofit in the bankruptcy case didn't immediately respond to messages. Prosecutors accuse the men of concealing the fraud through complex financial transactions, and sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to people with special needs and their families. The nonprofit filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and 'disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts,' federal prosecutors said in a statement announcing the indictment. 'The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable," U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said in the statement. The case was investigated by numerous federal agencies, including the FBI, the IRS and the Social Security Administration. 'Not only were the organization's resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families," said Jose Perez, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division.
Associated Press
18 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
2 Florida men are accused of stealing millions from trust fund for people with special needs
Two Florida men have been indicted in what prosecutors describe as a scheme to steal more than $100 million from a nonprofit that managed funds for people with disabilities and special needs. Federal authorities this week unsealed an indictment charging Leo J. Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Witeck, 60, of Tampa, with multiple counts including mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted on all counts, they face decades in prison. The case involves one of the nation's largest administrators of special needs trusts, which are designed to manage funds for people with special needs. The Center for Special Needs Trust Administration in Clearwater, which Govoni co-founded 25 years ago, managed more than 2,000 accounts containing about $200 million for people in Florida and around the nation. Clients were promised that the nonprofit would protect and invest their money, prosecutors say. But Govoni and Witeck, an accountant who worked with Govoni, used the nonprofit as a 'slush fund' to enrich themselves, court papers state. Govoni is accused of using money from the nonprofit to travel on private jets, pay living expenses for his friends and family and live a lavish lifestyle 'complete with luxury boxes at Tampa Bay Buccaneers games and the Kentucky Derby,' prosecutors said in court records. No lawyers for Govoni or Witeck are listed in court files. Two lawyers listed as representing Govoni in a separate bankruptcy case did not immediately respond to phone and email messages requesting comment on Tuesday. A third lawyer who has represented the nonprofit in the bankruptcy case didn't immediately respond to messages. Prosecutors accuse the men of concealing the fraud through complex financial transactions, and sending fraudulent account statements with false balances to people with special needs and their families. The nonprofit filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and 'disclosed that more than $100 million in client-beneficiary funds was missing from its trust accounts,' federal prosecutors said in a statement announcing the indictment. 'The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable,' U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe said in the statement. The case was investigated by numerous federal agencies, including the FBI, the IRS and the Social Security Administration. 'Not only were the organization's resources drained, but the accused subjects betrayed the trust of the community and ultimately bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families,' said Jose Perez, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
‘Operation Dragon-Eye': 60 ‘critically missing' children located in most successful operation
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)—The United States Marshals Service partnered with multiple federal, state, and local government agencies to conduct the most successful missing child recovery operation in U.S. Marshals Service history. Operation Dragon-Eye was a two-week initiative designed to recover or safely locate the most critically missing youth across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties, USMS said. 60 critically missing children were recovered or safely located in part of the operation. 'About darn time': Victims' families react to Leo Govoni's arrest in $100M fraud case Major renovation coming to Hillsborough High School thanks to penny sales tax Hillsborough County teacher tried to smuggle guns to foreign country: US Attorney 'The unique part of this operation was the fact that underaged critically missing children ranging from age 9 to 17 were not only recovered but were debriefed and provided with physical and psychological care. This operation further included follow-up assistance in hopes that these youth will not return back to the streets to be further victimized,' William Berger, United States Marshal, Middle District of Florida said. According to USMS, 'critically missing' children are those who are at risk of crimes of violence or those with other elevated risk factors like substance abuse, sexual exploitation, crime exposure, or domestic violence. 'Operation Dragon Eye was much more than a U.S. Marshals Service operation; it was a community initiative,' said U.S. Marshals Service Deputy in Charge Mario Price. This operation had three primary objectives: recover critically missing youth, provide them with essential services including appropriate placement, and to deter bad actors exploiting missing child vulnerabilities. 'The majority were being trafficked. The eight people that we arrested, it wasn't just a child, some of them had multiple children working for them. You know, in the old days we used to call them pimps, now it's human traffickers, but their criminals,' said Bill Berger who is the U.S. Marshal for the Middle District of Florida. Berger said those arrested are facing charges of human trafficking, child endangerment and drug possession. 'They know these children were underage. If you look at the average age of the offender, well into their 30s and 40s and then the age of the children were from 9 to 17,' said Berger. In addition to recovering missing children, the operation also arrested eight people with charges that included: human trafficking, child endangerment, narcotics possession, and custodial interference. According to the St. Petersburg Police Department, officers located 11 missing juveniles and arrested two people, one with human trafficking. 'This operation is a powerful example of the importance of collaboration,' said Tampa Police Department Chief Lee Bercaw. 'These arrests and recoveries serve as a reminder of the Tampa Police Department's commitment to fight to protect our most vulnerable.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Florida Men Accused of Stealing More Than $100 Million Meant for People With Special Needs
Supported by Twenty-five years ago, Leo J. Govoni of Clearwater, Fla., co-founded a nonprofit organization meant to help people with special needs manage their funds. But he and an accountant were using it as a 'personal piggy bank' to steal more than $100 million, federal prosecutors said on Monday. Mr. Govoni is accused of using some of the money to fund a brewery, to travel by private jet, to buy real estate and to pay personal debts, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida said in a statement. In an indictment unsealed on Monday, Mr. Govoni, 67, and the accountant, John L. Witeck, 60, Tampa, Fla., were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Mr. Govoni was also charged with one count of bank fraud, one count of illegal monetary transactions and one count of making a false bankruptcy declaration. Court documents say others were also involved in the scheme. Big Storm Brewery in Clearwater, Fla., received the stolen money to cover operating and expansion costs, according to the indictment. Mr. Govoni and some of the others controlled a small aviation company that had at least one private jet and that was funded by stolen money, court records said. Prosecutors said Mr. Govoni had taken out a $3 million mortgage refinance loan and laundered about $205,000 in fraud proceeds to pay off a home equity line of credit on his residence. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
