Kissimmee, Florida Mayor Jackie Espinosa, who is Puerto Rican, could face up to 30 years in prison for allegedly misusing public funds intended to help small businesses affected by COVID-19, Florida officials announced Wednesday. Eva Jacqulyn Espinosa, 58, faces a charge of aggravated theft, a second-degree felony, and a scheme to defraud charge, a first-degree felony, said Florida’s chief financial officer, Blaise Ingoglia.
The investigation focused on the municipal Business Boost 2.0 program, created under the federal American Rescue Plan to provide grants to small businesses. A routine audit of local governments’ pandemic grant programs detected alleged irregularities, and inquiries pointed to the mayor possibly using her position to influence grant distribution. Ingoglia said seven businesses on properties owned or managed by Espinosa’s family received a combined $90,000 in grants: $50,000 went directly to her businesses and $40,000 to her business tenants.
Espinosa took office in November 2024 and soon pushed for and voted to create and expand the program. On the day applications opened in September 2025, she and relatives allegedly applied for $50,000 for three family businesses; the money was deposited November 7, 2025. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said evidence points to a conflict of interest.
After the city attorney notified her on December 5, 2025 that receiving the funds was a prohibited conflict, she allegedly refused to return the money. Her defense said she maintains her innocence and will contest the charges.