Sister under suspicion of fraudretained legal services of the Attorney General's sibling; Department of Justice subsequently ceased litigation
In January 2025, Carolina Amesty, a former Florida state legislator, was charged with two counts of theft of government property related to COVID relief fraud. The charges stemmed from allegations that Amesty and a relative filed 15 applications through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program in 2020, misrepresenting information on two applications for the Carolina Amesty Foundation Inc. and Dinocar Auto Sales LLC, resulting in $122,000 in fraudulent loans [1].
Amesty denied wrongdoing, calling the case a politically motivated persecution [1]. However, recent developments show that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped the criminal complaint against Amesty in August 2025, ending a nearly seven-month legal battle [1].
A key factor in this outcome was Amesty’s hiring of Brad Bondi, a high-profile lawyer who is the brother of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondi's legal representation and filings emphasized Amesty’s innocence and that the loans were obtained in good faith with no misrepresentations [2][3].
Brad Bondi’s involvement appears significant due to his familial relationship with the top law enforcement official in Florida, which some sources describe as a unique dynamic in the justice system. His team presented overwhelming evidence of Carolina Amesty's innocence to prosecutors [2].
The DOJ's decision to drop the charges without prejudice indicates that the government has not ruled out the possibility of reopening the investigation at a later date [2][3]. This case demonstrates the intersection of legal defense dynamics and political context in COVID relief fraud investigations [2][3].
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 [2]. Additionally, Jim Tobin, a spokesperson for Amesty, confirmed that neither Amesty nor her counsel had any communications with the Attorney General regarding the matter [2].
This development comes after Trevor Milton, the disgraced Nikola founder, secured a pardon from President Trump in March [4]. Brad Bondi, who represented Milton, is also Amesty's defense attorney [4]. Throughout the legal wrangling over the deadline to file a complaint, Amesty's legal team characterized the case as a "hastily-filed and politically motivated complaint" targeting their client [5].
The government's investigation in the case remains ongoing, due in part to a pending sealed motion related to grand jury proceedings [1]. The judge granted extensions but only partially granted their request for an additional delay in June [6].
References:
[1] Associated Press. (2025, August 10). Florida politician's COVID relief fraud case dropped. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-politician-s-covid-relief-fraud-case-dropped-n1253096
[2] Associated Press. (2025, August 11). Florida politician's COVID relief fraud case dropped, but investigation remains open. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/florida-politicians-covid-relief-fraud-case-dropped-investigation-79394917
[3] Reuters. (2025, August 11). Florida politician's COVID relief fraud case dropped, but investigation remains open. Yahoo News. https://news.yahoo.com/florida-politician-covid-relief-fraud-case-142210613.html
[4] Associated Press. (2021, March 30). Trump pardons Nikola founder Trevor Milton. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-pardons-nikola-founder-trevor-milton-n1261041
[5] Associated Press. (2025, February 23). Florida politician's COVID relief fraud case delayed. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-politician-covid-relief-fraud-case-delayed/
[6] Associated Press. (2025, June 22). Judge grants extension in Florida politician's COVID relief fraud case. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/judge-grants-extension-florida-politicians-covid-relief-fraud-case-78851415
- The outcome of Carolina Amesty's COVID relief fraud case, which involved allegations of misrepresentations by her foundation and business, was influenced by her hiring of high-profile lawyer, Brad Bondi, who is the brother of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
- The dropping of the criminal complaint against Amesty by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in August 2025, ending a seven-month legal battle, was not influenced by Pam Bondi's relationship with her brother, according to a DOJ spokesperson.
- The intersection of legal defense dynamics and political context is evident in the COVID relief fraud investigations, as demonstrated by Amesty's case, where her legal team characterized the case as politically motivated.
- The justice system's dynamics were highlighted in this case due to the unique circumstance of Brad Bondi, Amesty's defense attorney, being the brother of the top law enforcement official in Florida, which some sources describe as significant.
