Lawyer retained by a woman under investigation for fraud turns out to be brother of the Attorney General; Department of Justice subsequently dismisses allegations against the woman
In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed criminal charges against Carolina Amesty, a former Florida state representative, who was accused of COVID relief fraud. The dismissal, which took place in early August 2025, came after Amesty’s defense attorney, Brad Bondi, presented evidence to the government that showed a lack of sufficient evidence and the government's decision to no longer pursue an indictment [1][4].
Background and Circumstances:
Amesty was initially accused in January 2025 of two counts of theft of government property, allegedly fraudulently obtaining about $122,000 in COVID-19 relief funds via her foundation and a car dealership. The complaint claimed that she used the funds for personal expenses like credit cards and furniture, rather than for small business relief as intended [3][4].
Brad Bondi, Amesty's lawyer and brother of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, argued that the loans were granted legitimately in good faith with no misrepresentations. He pointed out that Amesty had fully repaid five of the loans and made all other payments on time, and the government had not suffered any financial loss because collateral exceeded loan amounts. Bondi labelled the charges as "baseless" and the case as "flawed from the inception" [3][1].
The prosecution was filed during the last days of the Biden administration, just before President Trump’s inauguration, raising questions about the case's political motivation [1].
Role of Brad Bondi:
Bondi, a prominent defense attorney, represented Amesty and emphasized that she did not harm the government financially. He contended that the charges lacked merit. The case attracted significant public and media attention due to Bondi’s familial relationship with a top law enforcement official [4].
The government provided Bondi with "extensive" records of alleged exculpatory evidence in Amesty's case. Last month, the government ceased its criminal investigation and withdrew its outstanding subpoenas, a move that Bondi highlighted [1][4].
On August 6, 2025, Magistrate Judge Robert Norway dismissed the complaint without prejudice and closed the case. The dismissal demonstrates a unique dynamic in the current justice system where a defendant can hire a defense attorney with a familial relationship with the top law enforcement official in the country [1][3][4].
It is important to note that a Justice Department spokesperson stated that Pam Bondi's relationship with her brother had no bearing on the outcome of the case [1].
Carolina Amesty retained Brad Bondi as her lawyer in December, shortly after Pam Bondi was nominated to serve as Attorney General under President Trump.
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, August 6). Justice Department drops charges against Florida ex-representative. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/florida-justice-coronavirus-pandemic-government-and-politics-2025-08-06-0634166375e0f3c63410758f [2] CNN. (2025, August 6). Justice Department drops charges against Florida ex-representative Carolina Amesty. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/06/politics/justice-department-drops-charges-against-carolina-amesty/index.html [3] Florida Politics. (2025, January 15). Former Florida Rep. Carolina Amesty charged with COVID relief fraud. Retrieved from https://floridapolitics.com/archives/429642-former-florida-rep-carolina-amesty-charged-with-covid-relief-fraud [4] The Tampa Bay Times. (2025, August 6). Justice Department drops charges against Florida ex-representative Carolina Amesty. Retrieved from https://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/2025/08/06/justice-department-drops-charges-against-florida-ex-representative-carolina-amesty/
- Despite initial accusations of COVID relief fraud, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dismissed the criminal charges against Carolina Amesty, which took place in early August 2025.
- Brad Bondi, Amesty's defense attorney and brother of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, argued that the charges were baseless and the case flawed from the inception.
- The dismissal of charges against Amesty attracted attention due to Bondi's familial relationship with a top law enforcement official and highlighted a unique dynamic in the current justice system.
- A Justice Department spokesperson stated that Pam Bondi's relationship with her brother had no bearing on the outcome of the case.
