Long suspected of having a hand at the tables, Florida Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll resigned yesterday while allegations of her involvement with internet gambling and racketeering soar. Carroll was selected by Rick Scott (R-FL) as his running mate in 2010 and since that time has been a controversial character.
In 2010, Carroll was accused of having a conflict of interest when she proposed legislation that would have permitted gambling in Florida in internet cafes. In 2011, Carroll was accused of falsifying documents to make her firm eligible for grants owned by minorities.
The current scandal surrounds her involvement with the nonprofit organization Allied Veterans. Authorities suspect that the group was making profits by claiming the proceeds would go to benefit veterans. Carroll has been an advocate for the group, even appearing in commercials on its behalf.
Carroll’s resignation comes on the heels of the arrest of the owner of Allied Veterans. An Oklahoma native, Chase Burns is accused of making almost $290 million in profits off the illegal distribution of gambling software in Florida. As of Tuesday afternoon, his bond was set at $500,000.
Having made his personal fortune off of fraud and deceitful business, Carroll’s resignation, while disappointing, is no surprise. Having built a company that later pleaded guilty to defrauding Medicare and having to pay $1.7 billion in fines but resigning just before the investigation ramped up, this seems to be the standard operating procedure for Mr. Scott’s administration.
