A Georgia man faces multiple felony charges after authorities say he stole thousands of dollars in emergency hurricane relief aid by hijacking a Florida business owner’s identity.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announced the arrest of Carl Anthony Needham Jr., 31, of Atlanta. He allegedly exploited the chaos following Hurricanes Milton and Helene to defraud the state’s Emergency Bridge Loan (EBL) program.
Investigators say the scheme began when a Taylor County business owner submitted a legitimate application for a $25,000 loan to repair storm damage. Without the applicant’s knowledge, a second application requesting $38,000 was submitted under their name, directing the funds to a different bank account controlled by Needham.
Officials report the fraudulent loan was approved and deposited into Needham’s account. Detectives allege he then tried to cover his tracks by transferring the money through multiple financial accounts.
FDLE Commissioner Mark Glass condemned the theft, emphasizing that the program is meant to support small businesses recovering from hurricanes, not criminal activity.
The investigation began after the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received an identity theft report about the applications. Sheriff Wayne Padgett said the case quickly required resources beyond the county, praising the partnership with FDLE for ensuring a thorough investigation.
Needham was arrested in Georgia on November 19 by FDLE agents, working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently held in the Paulding County Jail awaiting extradition to Taylor County.
He faces charges of grand theft ($20,000–$100,000), identity theft, and money laundering. The case is being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Third Judicial Circuit.
Leave a Reply