Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill has been charged with elder exploitation after she allegedly stole more than $100,000 from a 96-year-old woman in her district.
Hill, 58, was released on bail from the Orange County Jail on Thursday just hours after being arrested on seven felonies following a year-long investigation into the alleged scam.
Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Monday suspending Hill from her position as District 5 commissioner in Orlando following news of her arrest.
Florida investigators say Hill used power of attorney over the unidentified elderly victim to finance a lavish lifestyle for years that included a home in the Lake Mann Estates area of ​​Orlando.
In addition to getting a mortgage and renovating a house, Hill also spent more than $100,000 on a facelift, perfume, clothes, intravenous vitamins, a trip to Miami and dental surgery, according to court documents.
Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill has been charged with elder exploitation after she allegedly stole more than $100,000 from a 96-year-old woman.
Hill, 58, was released on bond from the Orange County Jail Thursday just hours after being arrested on seven felonies.
She allegedly spent more than $100,000 of stolen funds on a facelift, luxury perfumes and vacations.
A state investigation that began when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) received notice from one of its employees that he had been fired.
According to court documents, Hill met the woman in March 2021 at her job as a commissioner and was supposed to help her get better living conditions, but within a month she had become her agent.
Hill’s son and girlfriend are believed to live in the house the former city employee gained power.
Meanwhile, Hill allegedly lives in a separate house that once belonged to the elderly woman’s parents, which he allegedly spent a large portion of his savings renovating.
Hill also used the woman’s savings for a New Year’s Eve vacation in Miami and to purchase a large quantity of intravenous vitamins from a company called Vitalounge, according to the documents.
Hill allegedly obtained the woman’s power of attorney, before exploiting her to obtain a mortgage for a house in Orlando (pictured) in the pensioner’s name.
Hill reportedly lives in a separate house that reportedly once belonged to the elderly woman’s parents, which he allegedly spent a large chunk of savings renovating.
Hill has had numerous other brushes with the law that arose when he first ran for office in 2014.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, news emerged during his career that he had a record with 21 prior arrests dating back to 1983. The arrests included drug offenses, DUI, fraud and passing bad checks.
She was also arrested in 2022 in Birmingham, Alabama, for public intoxication, the outlet reported.
Hill’s son, Rakeem, was also arrested in 2015 when a cache of guns and drugs was found inside a home she owned at the time, WFTV9 reports.
A petition to keep Hill away from the woman’s property and finances reportedly led a judge to issue a temporary injunction earlier this month, kicking Hill out of her home.
FDLE Special Agent Steve Brenton reportedly asked the woman about signing her power of attorney and said she “remembered signing some type of document but she didn’t understand it and would never have agreed to allow Hill to be a power of attorney.” “.
Brenton went on to say that when he analyzed Hill’s expenses, “these purchases and/or bank withdrawals exceeded $100,000 and benefited Hill alone.”
He said that while his house had been renovated, the house the elderly woman lived in needed repairs, but Hill had allegedly not spent any money to fix it.
Hill’s son Rakeem (pictured) was also arrested in 2015 when a cache of guns and drugs was found inside a home she owned at the time.
The agent’s affidavit noted that before Hill met the elderly woman, she had more than $164,000 in her bank account and about a $650 balance. In October, she had $60,000 left in her bank account and $10,000 on her credit card.
News 6 reported that the FDLE was informed of the alleged scheme last year, when a former assistant Orlando Commissioner raised the alarm after they were fired.
The former employee, named Jacqueline Cockerham, said Hill “tormented” her at work, forcing her to work long hours and conduct personal business.
The personal business included cleaning the elderly woman’s house, which she described as full of cat urine and feces.
The city of Orlando issued a statement after the investigation was launched, stating that it had only recently learned of the allegations.
“The city has been informed of the warrant issued involving Commissioner Hill,” a city spokesperson said.
“We are not a party to the court order and do not have any details about the allegations related to it.”