Florida
New details in nearly $200,000 Florida embezzlement case
Twenty checks were recorded paid to “Farmer and Irwin,” but Martin County Sheriff’s investigators reported the $85,410 in payments actually went to Alexandra Gonzalez and were used for personal expenses, including travel and retail purchases.
The details are in court records supporting the April 9 arrest of Gonzalez, 46, who is accused of embezzling nearly $200,000 in total from The Dune of Hutchinson Island Condominium Association and the Whitemarsh Reserve Homeowners Association.
Gonzalez, identified as a community association manager who worked for a property management company, was held April 10 in the Martin County jail on 124 charges with more than $1.2 million bond, records show.
Sheriff’s officials in February began investigating after association representatives reported the suspected fraudulent or theft activity, which at Dune of Hutchinson Island occurred beginning in October 2025 and at Whitmarsh Reserve started in February 2025, according to statements in records.
In the Dune of Hutchinson Island case, the owner of the property management company that employed Gonzalez told sheriff’s officials that Gonzalez “exploited the system by creating and altering vendor profiles, specifically a vendor identified as ‘Farmer and Irwin,’ to conceal fraudulent transactions,” according to records.
Checks — 20 in total representing $85,410 — recorded as payments to Farmer and Irwin corresponded to checks issued to Gonzalez, according to statements in records. The checks had a forged signature of a Dune of Hutchinson Island association vice president.
Meanwhile, in the Whitemarsh Reserve case, investigators found 39 checks totaling $111,980 fraudulently issued to Gonzalez. Investigators found Gonzalez “issued fraudulent checks payable to herself, and made corresponding false entries in the association’s accounting system to conceal those transactions…,” records show.
Investigators reported records showed the money was used for personal expenses, including travel, cosmetic and medical procedures and retail purchases.
In speaking with investigators, Gonzalez expressed regret and said she’d be willing to repay the amounts “to avoid legal consequences.”
Gonzalez ultimately reported going through financial challenges during the time when the checks were issued.
“When asked if her financial situation was the reason she issued checks to herself, Gonzalez admitted that it was,” records show.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
Want to take dinner and drinks to new heights? While Collier County may not have as many rooftop venues as larger Florida cities, the handful of elevated restaurants and bars the county features are stunning and worth visiting.
From downtown Naples views and a waterfront mangrove oasis to beautiful Gulf sunsets on Marco Island, these rooftop destinations have mastered the art of pairing scenery with food and cocktails.
Here’s three rooftop restaurants and bars in Collier County to check out this summer.
Tigress Restaurant & Rooftop Bar
Tigress is located on the seventh floor of The Perry Hotel Naples and has quickly become one of the most talked-about dining destinations since its debut a couple years ago. From its rooftop terrace, guests can take in panoramic views of the Cocohatchee River and its surrounding mangrove estuaries.
The open air rooftop bar features a huge island bar in the center of the space, inviting guests to grab a drink before dinner. There’s a few tables to dine at as well, but many guests opt to enjoy their meals inside the darker interior dining room. The interior room features a large window so the rooftop views aren’t lost.
The menu is full of delicious and modern takes on traditional Cantonese dishes, like dry-aged crown of duck with Hong Kong French toast and Mongolian barbecue pork ribs.
(12155 Tamiami Trail N., Naples; 239-423-3199; www.perryhotelnaples.com/naples-fl-hotel-dining)
Limon Rooftop Bar
Located on top of the AC Hotel Naples Fifth Avenue, Limon Rooftop Bar is one of Naples’ few elevated dining and drinking experiences. The open-air rooftop provides views of colorful sunsets and the bustling Fifth Avenue South. The views are more urban than waterfront, but Limon provides a unique dining experience regardless.
The combination of handcrafted cocktails, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, and city views has made Limon a popular spot for locals and visitors alike. Its downtown location gives guests a great venue to enjoy a meal at before a night on the town.
(455 12th Street S., Naples; 239-944-3755; limonrooftop.com)
Tesoro JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort
Looking for unobstructed Gulf views? Make a reservation at Tesoro, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort’s adults-only restaurant. Tesoro overlooks the Gulf and Marco Island’s white sand shoreline, giving guests beautiful waterfront views to enjoy during dinner. The rooftop terrace provides front-row seats to Southwest Florida’s most beautiful nightly display: a stunning sunset.
Enjoy Mediterranean-inspired cuisine with a unique Italian flair along with a lively weekend atmosphere with a resident DJ. Expect fresh Gulf seafood, shareable plates, and handcrafted cocktails against a beautiful beach view.
(400 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island; 239-393-3208; tesoroatjwmarco.com)
Kendall Little is the food & dining reporter for Naples Daily News. Questions, comments, or tips? Email Kendall.Little@NaplesNews.com.
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The Florida supreme court on Wednesday allowed new US House districts drawn by Republicans to be used in the midterm elections, marking another victory for the GOP in a nationwide redistricting effort aimed at helping the party retain its slim House majority.
Attorneys for voters who sued had argued that the new congressional districts violate a state constitutional prohibition on partisan gerrymandering, and that the court should order the state to continue using the same districts as in the previous election. The supreme court, in a 6-1 decision, denied their request for a temporary injunction without ruling on the merits of the case. The judges said they lacked jurisdiction to intervene while the lawsuit gradually plays out in the lower courts.
Republicans already hold 20 of Florida’s 28 US House seats. The new voting districts signed into law by the Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, after a swift two-day special legislative session could improve the GOP’s chances of winning four additional seats this year.
The court’s decision provides some certainty for prospective congressional candidates, who face a Friday deadline to qualify for the state’s 18 August primaries.
James Uthmeier, the Republican attorney general, who defended the new districts in court, declared “complete and total victory” in a social media post.
Opponents expressed outrage while vowing to continue the court fight, even though it may stretch into the 2028 election cycle.
“The Florida supreme court’s failure to stop this brazen partisan power grab is not only an assault on democracy, but an abdication of its duty to the people of Florida,” said Genesis Robinson, executive director of Equal Ground, a community organizing group that sued.
The new districts are “a pretty clear partisan gerrymander”, said Amy Keith, executive director of Common Cause Florida. “We’re going to do everything we can to prevent this map from impacting further, future elections.”
Voting districts typically are redrawn after a census near the beginning of each decade. Florida is one of several Republican-led states that have undertaken mid-decade redistricting as part of Donald Trump’s plan to try to hold on to a slim House majority in November by reshaping district boundaries to the GOP’s advantage.
Florida’s legislature approved the new House map on 29 April – the same day the US supreme court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities while striking down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana. Since then, several southern states have taken steps to try to eliminate minority districts that have elected Democrats.
DeSantis had called lawmakers into a special session before the high court’s ruling, but he had anticipated the eventual outcome. DeSantis’s office asserted that no racial data was used for the map he presented to the legislature. The new map, among other things, redraws a south-eastern Florida district that DeSantis’s office said was created to help elect a Black representative in an attempt to comply with the federal Voting Rights Act.
In addition to barring partisan gerrymandering, a constitutional amendment approved by Florida voters in 2010 also prohibits districts from being drawn to deny or diminish the ability of racial or language minorities to elect the representatives of their choice. It further requires districts to be compact and, where feasible, use existing political and geographic boundaries.
A 5-year-old girl died after being shot in a home in Florida City early July 10, multiple local news reported. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
Officers with the Florida City Police Department responded to a home in the 1400 block of Northwest 1st Court at around 1:55 a.m., Angel Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, told CBS News. They found the young girl had a gunshot wound to her torso.
Under what circumstances was the girl fatally injured in Florida City?
Several people were inside the building at the time of the shooting, according to Local 10.
“We know that at the time of the shooting, there were three adults and two children, the victim who’s 5 years old, and her 4-year-old brother,” Rodriguez told Local 10. “Detectives are going to be here for quite some time, taking part of this investigation. They’re going to make sure that no stone is left unturned, and right now we’re just asking for prayers for the community.”
A police officer with Florida City transported the child and her mother to Homestead Hospital, from where she was airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, CBS News reported. She died despite efforts to save her life.
The Homicide Bureau of the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is now leading the investigation.
Where is Florida City?
Florida City is located in southern Miami-Dade County, east of Everglades National Park and south of Homestead.
Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network’s Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.
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