Lynn Haven Mayor Margo Anderson Indicted in Storm Fraud Scheme

Lynn Haven Mayor Margo Anderson, 65, of Jacksonville, Florida, and City Attorney Joseph Adam Albritton, 33, of Lynn Haven, Florida, were indicted on 64 federal counts tied to a brazen fraud scheme that exploited the devastation of Hurricane Michael. The charges include conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud, substantive counts of wire fraud, theft concerning federal programs, and making false statements to the FBI. Albritton faces an additional charge for submitting a false insurance invoice for $9,600 in storm-related debris removal at his own home.

The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in Panama City, Florida, alleges that Anderson and Albritton abused emergency powers granted after the October 16, 2018 local state of emergency declaration. With normal procurement rules waived, Anderson, as mayor, could fast-track contracts for clean-up — a power she allegedly used to funnel city-funded cleanup services to private properties. Emergency funds meant for public infrastructure were instead used to clear debris from Anderson’s residence, her mother’s home, a neighbor’s property, and Albritton’s home and his girlfriend’s residence — totaling over $73,000 in unauthorized work.

According to the indictment, Erosion Control Specialists (ECS), led by David White, was paid under an emergency agreement to perform clean-up services. But invoices submitted to the city falsely claimed the unauthorized residential work was performed in public areas. With Albritton’s legal oversight, the false billing was approved and paid using public and federal disaster relief funds. The scheme allowed contractors to profit from forged paperwork while city officials turned a blind eye — or worse, directed the deceit.

After the clean-up, Albritton allegedly doubled down on the fraud by filing a false insurance claim with St. John’s Insurance Company. He submitted a forged ECS invoice for $9,600, claiming he had personally paid for tree and debris removal and tarp installation due to hurricane damage — work that had already been covered, at public expense, under the ECS city contract. That charge, wire fraud related to insurance fraud, adds another layer to the betrayal of public trust.

Anderson was arrested this morning at her Jacksonville home by FBI agents and is scheduled for an initial appearance at 2:30 p.m. EST in Jacksonville. Albritton was taken into custody by Bay County Sheriff’s deputies in Lynn Haven and will appear in federal court in Tallahassee at 4:00 p.m. EST. Both face decades in prison if convicted on all counts.

‘This indictment serves as a powerful message to all public officials and any other citizen who serves in a position of trust,’ said U.S. Attorney Lawrence Keefe. Federal and local law enforcement, including FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel L. Rojas and Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, emphasized that corrupt officials who exploit disasters for personal gain will be hunted down. ‘Rooting out corrupt public officials remains the FBI’s number one criminal investigative priority,’ Rojas stated. The fallout from Hurricane Michael brought ruin — and for some, opportunity. Now, the law has caught up.