JUST IN: Left-Wing Florida Mayor ARRESTED on Grand Theft & Fraud Charges

This morning, we arrested Kissimmee mayor Jackie Espinosa and are charging her with Grand Theft and Organized Scheme to Defraud.

We will be holding a press conference at 2pm at our Orlando office with CFO Ingoglia and FDLE Commissioner Keefe to provide more information.

— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) October 21, 2026

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This morning my team, along with @fdlepio, arrested the Mayor of Kissimmee for abusing her office for personal gain.

I am proud of the outstanding work that my auditing team and Criminal Investigations Division did to uncover the alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars and to ensure… pic.twitter.com/lCVQm1NOcC

— Blaise Ingoglia (@GovGoneWild) October 21, 2026

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This morning my team, along with @fdlepio, arrested the Mayor of Kissimmee for abusing her office for personal gain.

I am proud of the outstanding work that my auditing team and Criminal Investigations Division did to uncover the alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars and to ensure that Jackie Espinosa’s corruption did not go without recourse.

See you at 2pm with more info with @AGJamesUthmeier

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Espinosa’s attorney said the mayor “maintains her innocence” and that they plan to challenge the allegations “vigorously in court.”

“This case involves a publicly approved grant program administered by City staff, not a secret scheme to steal taxpayer money,” her attorney, Migdalia Perez, said in a statement to ABC News.

“The prosecution must establish that the mayor acted with criminal intent. We firmly maintain that she did not,” Perez said. “There is a fundamental difference between an alleged ethics violation and a criminal offense. The State cannot transform one into the other without proving every element of a crime beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Espinosa, 58, was booked Wednesday morning into the Osceola County Jail under her full name, Eva Jacqulyn Espinosa, online jail records show. The grand theft charge involves an amount greater than $20,000 and fewer than $100,000, according to the jail records.

Espinosa has served as the mayor of Kissimmee since November 2024. Her term ends in 2028.

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