Brickbat: Family Matters

Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa has been charged with grand theft and an organised scheme to defraud over $50,000 in city grants awarded to businesses linked to her family. The case raises questions about conflicts of interest in the distribution of public COVID-19 relief funds.

Investigators say Espinosa helped develop the Business Boost 2.0 programme and then applied for grants with immediate family members. In November 2025, one family business received $20,000 and two others received $15,000 each. The city attorney warned her the next month that accepting the grants created a prohibited conflict, but the money was not returned. Espinosa has pleaded not guilty; her lawyer says the grants were awarded through a publicly approved programme administered by city employees.