Authorities arrest Kissimmee mayor over $50,000 grant award

Espinosa remains mayor as Kissimmee charter silent on arrest

Kissimmee Mayor Eva Jacquelyn Espinosa was arrested Wednesday on one count each of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced. Prosecutors allege Espinosa applied for $50,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds for businesses she and her immediate family owned or controlled.

The charges stem from the City of Kissimmee’s Business Boost 2.0 Grant Program, a federally funded program launched in September 2025 to help small businesses overcome lingering economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the arrest warrant affidavit, on the day the program began accepting applications, Espinosa, who had advocated for it, allegedly submitted applications for three businesses she and her immediate family members either owned or controlled: a dance production studio, a diner and a real estate company.

The arrest warrant affidavit says the applications were approved and the $50,000 the businesses requested was deposited into accounts connected to Espinosa’s family on Nov. 7. The arresting document says the money her family received represented 19.6% of the $255,000 distributed in the first batch of applications approved under the program.

At the same press conference, Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said seven businesses located in properties owned or managed by Espinosa’s family had received a combined $90,000 in federal COVID-19 relief funds. He said $50,000 went to businesses involved in the criminal case, while the other $40,000 went to four tenant businesses operating in properties owned or managed by her family.

State prosecutors allege Espinosa took actions to reduce oversight of the grant program and make it easier for herself and her family to obtain the funds. Almost exactly a month later, Kissimmee City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes advised Espinosa by email to return the funds, stating that accepting them was a prohibited conflict of interest. Espinosa allegedly replied that she would fight any complaint filed against her.

Ingoglia said criminal investigators determined that Espinosa may have used her official position to improperly influence the awarding of funds through the program. Uthmeier, a Republican, said, “The theme here is we hold corrupt public officials accountable.” He added, “If you’re going to abuse your office, if you’re going to abuse the public trust to enrich yourself or family members, we are going to find you and we are going to hold you accountable.”

Uthmeier also said, “The evidence makes very clear that there was intent to engage in this conflict of interest that ultimately abused her office to enrich herself.” He said the evidence showed Espinosa intended to create, streamline and simplify the process, reduce oversight and make it easier for herself and her immediate family to apply for and receive city funds to which she was not entitled.

If convicted, Espinosa faces up to 30 years in prison.

The City of Kissimmee said in a statement that its City Charter does not address the arrest of a sitting mayor and that Espinosa will remain in her seat unless she is suspended, removed or resigns. Vice Mayor Angela Eady will perform mayoral duties at City Commission meetings and ceremonial events during Espinosa’s absence, the city said.

Migdalia Perez, Espinosa’s lawyer, said her client maintains her innocence. “There is a fundamental difference between an alleged ethics violation and a criminal offense,” Perez said in a statement. “The state cannot transform one into the other without proving every element of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.”