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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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Florida
Is weed legal in Florida? What to know before traveling for holidays
Trump weighs executive order loosening federal marijuana rules
President Donald Trump is considering an order to reclassify marijuana, easing restrictions and expanding research opportunities.
Can Floridians or those traveling to Florida for the holidays light one up while taking part in festive activities? Doing so will result in your name being added to the state’s naughty list.
While it’s legal in about half the country, recreational marijuana remains illegal in Florida.
An amendment last year to make recreational marijuana legal in the Sunshine State came close and got a majority of the vote, but it failed to hit Florida’s required 60% threshold. The group behind it is trying again in 2026.
Here’s what you need to know about marijuana laws in Florida before the holiday.
Is marijuana legal in Florida?
Yes, but only for some people.
Medical marijuana is legal in Florida for residents diagnosed with a specific set of conditions who have applied for and received a Medical Marijuana ID Card or caregivers who have received a Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card.
Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?
No. During the 2024 General Election, an amendment that called for legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida failed to get the 60% of votes needed to pass.
Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?
Medical marijuana is legal here, but only for Florida residents with the following conditions who apply for and receive a Medical Marijuana Card:
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
- AIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome)
- PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)
- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
- Crohn’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- Comparable medical conditions or status to the above
- A terminal condition
- Chronic nonmalignant pain
Note that under a new Florida law as of July 1, medical marijuana registration will be revoked if a patient or caregiver is convicted or pleads guilty or no contest to drug trafficking, sale or manufacture.
Can I bring weed if I have a medical marijuana card from another state?
No. The state of Florida does not offer reciprocity. A bill in this year’s legislative session that would have changed that died in committee.
Can I get busted for possessing weed in Florida?
Without a Medical Marijuana Card (or Medical Marijuana Caregiver Card, for people assisting medical marijuana patients who are minors or who need help), if you are caught with pot, you will be penalized. Marijuana advocacy group NORML lists the following penalties under Florida Statutes:
- Possessing 20 grams or less: First-degree misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
- Possession of paraphernalia: Misdemeanor, up to one year in jail and maximum $1,000 fine.
- Possessing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park or other specified areas: Felony, mandatory three-year sentence and maximum $10,000 fine.
- Possessing from 20 grams: to 25 pounds: Felony, up to five years in jail and maximum $5,000 fine.
- Possessing from 25 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from three to 15 years in jail and $25,000 fine.
- Possessing from 2,000 to 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from seven to 30 years and $50,000 fine.
- Possessing more than 10,000 pounds of marijuana: First-degree felony, from 15 to 30 years and $200,000 fine.
However, many communities and municipalities have decriminalized possession of up to 20 grams of marijuana, meaning if you’re busted, you’ll get a fine (which will go up each time). You may be required to attend a drug education program or do community service.
Areas that have decriminalized pot include Alachua County, Broward County, Cocoa Beach, Hallandale Beach, Key West, Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County, Orlando, Osceola County, Palm Beach County, Port Richey, Sarasota, Tampa and Volusia County.
Is it legal to sell weed in Florida?
Only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries may sell marijuana in the state of Florida. Even with a medical marijuana card, you may not buy your pot anywhere but at a licensed dispensary.
People charged with selling marijuana can face the following:
- 25 grams or less, without renumeration: Misdemeanor, maximum 1 year in jail, $1,000 fine.
- 20 grams to 25 pounds: Felony, maximum 5 years in jail, $5,000 fine.
- 25 to less than 2,000 pounds or 300-2,000 plants: Felony, three to 15 years, maximum $25,000 fine.
- 2,000 to less than 10,000 pounds or 2,000-10,000 plants: Felony, seven to 30 years, maximum $50,000 fine.
- 10,000 pounds or more: Felony, 15 to 30 years, maximum $200,000 fine.
- If within 1,000 feet of a school, college, park, or other specified areas: An additional 3-15 years, $10,000 fine.
Are low-THC products like delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 or THC-O legal in Florida?
Assorted different types of so-called “diet weed” cannabinoids, such as delta-8, delta-9, delta-10 and THC-O, which are derived from hemp and not marijuana and contain lower levels of THC, are legal here under the 2018 federal Farm Bill that allows farmers to grow industrial hemp.
Last year, the Florida Legislature passed SB 1698, a bill that effectively banned delta-8 and delta-10 products and set a 5-milligram-per-serving limit for delta-9 THC, but Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed it, reportedly to protect small businesses.
However, they remain federally illegal.
Can you get a DUI in Florida on marijuana?
Yes. Drivers under the influence of drugs, including marijuana, face the same penalties as drunk drivers in Florida.
That ranges from up to six months of jail time, a fine between $500 and $1,000, a license suspension, 50 hours of community service and a 10-day vehicle impoundment (for the first offense) to up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 in fines, lifetime license revocation and more for the fourth offense.
Penalties go up fast if there is a minor in the vehicle or you cause property damage, injury or death.
Florida
Rabbi Eli Schlangar among 15 dead in Sydney attack; South Florida increases security at Jewish sites
AVENTURA, Fla. — A devastating terror attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, has left 15 dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlangar, a beloved figure in the Jewish community.
The attack unfolded during the annual Chanukah by the Sea event, a celebration where Rabbi Schlangar had served as one of the organizers and the emcee.
South Florida Rabbi Tzvi Dechter, who had known Schlangar for decades, spoke tearfully about the profound loss.
The two first met when they were teenagers, and their friendship grew over the years. Dechter recalled the personal qualities of his dear friend, not just his leadership in the Jewish community, but the kind and caring person he was.
“I loved him very much, obviously. A lot of people can describe his community leadership, but you forget about the person himself,” Dechter shared. “He was a husband, a father, and he was a friend to so many. He genuinely cared.”
Schlangar was deeply rooted in the Sydney Jewish community, particularly among the 5,000-member Russian-speaking Jewish population.
His impact reached far beyond his role as a religious leader, and he leaves behind several children, including a two-month-old baby.
Dechter revealed that the two had become “cousins” after marrying cousins, a bond that strengthened their connection.
The tragedy took an even more personal turn for Dechter, as he confirmed that Eli’s wife was among the dozens of people injured in the attack. The death toll is expected to rise, with as many as 40 people still hospitalized in critical condition.
The impact of the attack has rippled across the globe, with authorities increasing security measures in Jewish communities, particularly in South Florida.
Local officials have heightened patrols around synagogues and Jewish schools, with a Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) deputy assigned for security.
Authorities in Sydney continue to investigate the details of the attack, while local communities, both in Australia and abroad, mourn the loss of Schlangar and all the victims.
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Florida
Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship
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A Florida high school state football championship finished with a phenomenal ending for one team and absolute heartbreak for the other on Saturday night.
Lake Mary High School was down six points with seven seconds left in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A title game against Vero Beach. Noah Grubbs dropped back to pass and rolled to his right. He gained momentum and fired the ball, which was tipped and caught short of the goal line.
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A Lake Mary quarterback looks to throw in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
As Vero Beach defenders tried to keep receiver Barrett Schultz out of the end zone, Schultz’s teammate Tavarius Brundidge Jr. came around and took the ball out of Schultz’s hands. Brundidge ran the ball into the end zone to complete the wild and chaotic play.
The touchdown tied the game, and Lake Mary would kick the extra point to win, 28-27.
INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY
A Lake Mary player in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, makes a catch at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“I was just hoping and praying like everyone else that he was going to come down with the football and Barrett did,” Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry said, via TC Palm. “… We were just going to keep fighting and fighting until the final whistle.”
Vero Beach tried to run out the clock the best they could. The team decided to take a safety with 12 seconds left, and gave the ball back to Lake Mary.
A Vero Beach player is stunned after the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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It was the first state championship for Lake Mary in its history.
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