The clerk of courts in a small Florida panhandle county has been charged with fraud and money laundering, Florida state law enforcement officials have said.
On March 20, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the state had charged Kyle Hudson, court clerk of Holmes County, for allegedly submitting fraudulent expense reports, costing taxpayers more than $6,000.
According to a release from the FDLE, Hudson allegedly submitted vouchers for reimbursement for several conferences he allegedly did not attend. Further, the state officials said Hudson allegedly created fake hotel receipts and meeting agendas to support his fraudulent expense reimbursement claims.
According to the release, officials have investigated Hudson since January, when “an annual audit showed a significant increase in travel expenses by Hudson starting late in 2017. Upon review, auditors became concerned some of the expenses could be fraudulent.”
FDLE said their agents arrested Hudson on March 19 and booked him into Holmes County Jail.
Prosecution of the case will be handled by the Office of the State Attorney for the 14th Judicial Circuit.
Holmes County is located in the Florida Panhandle, about 100 miles northeast of Pensacola. The county seat is Bonifay. Its northern edge borders the Georgia state line. In 2010, the county was estimated to have a population of fewer than 20,000 people.