Florida state lawmaker indicted on felony charges related to private school

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A Republican state representative in central Florida has been indicted on felony forgery charges related to her administration of a private Christian school that she helped run with her family.

Carolina Amesty, 29, turned herself in to authorities at the Orange County Jail on Thursday and was booked on four felony counts. That is after a grand jury found that Amesty forged a man’s signature on a document that she notarized in 2021 while working as an administrator at her family’s Central Christian Academy, according to State Attorney Andrew Bain. The alleged forgery happened before Amesty was elected to the Florida House of Representatives.

Each of the charges are third-degree felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines.

The indictment of Amesty — who is currently running for reelection in her district west of Orlando — follows investigations by the Orlando Sentinel into Amesty’s background, financial practices and role in the family-run school.

Reached by phone, Amesty declined to answer questions from The Associated Press but pointed to a statement posted to the social media platform X.

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