KISSIMMEE, FL – October 21, 2026 (STL.News) Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that he arrested Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa, accusing the elected official of improperly obtaining taxpayer-funded business assistance grants meant to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Espinosa, 58, faces felony charges of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud following an investigation into the city’s Business Boost 2.0 program. State investigators allege that the mayor used her elected position to influence the grant program’s administration before she and family members received $50,000 in assistance. The arrest follows more than a year of scrutiny
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