Share and Follow
RESIDENTS from more than 50 homeowners associations have learned that a Florida woman has stolen more than $750,000 from them.
The woman used the cash to buy Tampa Bay Buccaneers tickets and pay for her personal expenses.
The scam was easy for the lady to pull off, as she was an accounting manager who oversaw bank accounts for 58 different homeowner associations.
Jamie Fonville, 46, of Tarpon Springs, which is about 30 miles from Tampa, issued checks on First Choice Association Management’s behalf, per the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
She allegedly took more than $754,00 in the scheme.
Police were initially alerted to the situation in February 2022 after a fraud complaint was issued.
Detectives quickly discovered that Fonville used the account information from three different homeowner associations to create fake checks that she then deposited into her personal bank account.
She used the money to pay for living expenses and buy food and groceries.
She also bought NFL tickets and paid off some credit card debt, per police.
Fonville was initially arrested and charged with three counts of scheme to defraud in June 2022.
However, police were suspicious that she took money from additional accounts, and September 2023, she was hit with 13 additional felony counts of scheme to defraud.
“Since Fonville’s arrest in June, thirteen additional victims came forward with a total loss of $526,433.61,” the Pinellas County Sheriff’s office said in a release.
“A combined loss of all cases is approximately $754,734.44.”
Fonville was taken to the Pinellas County Jail.
Her bond was set to $265,000.
Corporal Dave Brenn with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The U.S. Sun that Fonville was still in custody as of Friday afternoon.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to First Choice Association Management for comment.