Summary

On February 20, 2013, Jonathan Jenkins, owner of MLA Furniture, was sentenced to five years of probation, ordered to make restitution in the amount of $242,981 and fined $100 for his role in filing fraudulent claims for reimbursement of storage expenses. 

MLA Furniture was displaced due to the procurement of right of way property by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).  FDOT procured the right of way as part of a project to widen Interstate 4.  The right of way property was procured under federal and state grant funding.  The investigation disclosed Jenkins conspired with a FDOT employee, who processed fictitious claims representing MLA Furniture had applied for reimbursement of relocation expenses, when in fact, MLA had not incurred any expenses.

This investigation was worked with the Florida Office of Inspector General.