Florida
‘Total control:’ $1 million Florida condo scandal sparks manhunt, fee spikes for residents
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. – A former condo president in New Smyrna Beach has been accused of taking about $1 million from a condo association, leading to huge fee hikes for residents, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
In a news release, deputies said that an investigation into the theft began after the sheriff’s office received complaints in April 2024 from residents at the Smyrna Beach Club condo complex.
Around that time, residents alleged that the condo association president and manager — Julius Bruggeman, 76 — was embezzling funds from the association’s bank accounts.
Investigators said they found evidence to confirm these suspicions, so detectives searched the condo association’s office and Bruggeman’s condo unit, where he had lived for over a decade.
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During their search, detectives found several documents from the office, but Bruggeman’s unit was “completely empty,” as he’d reportedly moved out just a few days earlier and “seemed to be in a hurry,” the release shows.
“During a 7-month investigation, evidence was uncovered that showed Bruggeman had almost total control over the association’s finances,” the release reads. “He installed friends on the association board and authorized the purchase of health care policies for them with association funds.”
According to the sheriff’s office, the complex is home to around 150 condo units, and the association’s bank accounts carried a monthly balance of over $700,000 — money that Bruggeman used as if they were his own.
Beyond the roughly $70,000 salary that he paid himself, Bruggeman also spent around $800 – $1,000 each month on himself, buying products like gourmet coffee, health supplements, designer sneakers and shirts, therapeutic socks, sweatpants and acne cream, investigators announced.
In addition, deputies said Bruggeman crafted a scam where he would use association funds to buy materials to repair individually owned units, or flat-screen TVs and kitchen appliances for unit owners.
“After repairs were completed or items were delivered, Bruggeman would collect payment, but never reimbursed the association for the expenses — he kept the money for himself,” the release continues.
In all, deputies said they discovered that Bruggeman may have stolen or misappropriated around $1 million over the course of a decade, though due to statutes of limitations and the inability to recover documentation from previous years, charges are only possible for crimes committed within the last three years.
Deputies added that a financial audit was performed after Bruggeman’s “hasty departure,” and budget shortfalls tied directly to his activities caused all owners’ monthly association fees to double.
“During the investigation, board members whose health care was paid for by Bruggeman with association funds came forward and returned the money,” detectives said. “The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation fined the Association $20,000 for allowing mismanagement to occur.”
Investigators said that Bruggeman may be in the Portland, Oregon, area, although his exact whereabouts are unknown.
He faces charges of grand theft, organized scheme to defraud, and racketeering.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact detectives at 386-860-7030.
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TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
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