BRADENTON, Fla. — A Bradenton woman was arrested on Friday after she allegedly tried to claim more than $7,000 in fraudulent hurricane assistance, authorities said.
Veronica Torres, 44, was charged with filing a false public assistance claim, which is a third-degree felony.
According to a Bradenton Police Department report, Torres used her mother's name, driver's license and social security information to apply for the city of Bradenton's Hurricane Disaster Assistance Program.
She stated that she was forced to move out of her home due to hurricane damage. Her request for about $7,967 was approved.
However, when Torres attempted to pick up the check on Thursday, a city employee noticed she looked much younger than the woman in the identification provided on the assistance application, police officials said.
After her explanation of “Botox treatments” failed to convince the employee, Torres was asked to return the following day, the report stated.
The Bradenton Police Department was then notified.
When Torres returned on Friday, she was questioned by Bradenton police detectives and then arrested.
“You know, it might just be time we take a look if HOAs are really even necessary.
Maybe we should just do away with homeowner associations as a whole.”
South Florida lawmaker Rep. Juan Carlos Porras (R-Miami) says it may be time to do away with homeowners associations altogether, as more Floridians speak out about rising fees, costly lawsuits, and even arrests tied to HOA disputes. He said this week that he is considering filing legislation in the next session that would abolish HOAs statewide.
