Gov. DeSantis Suspends Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa After Grant Fraud Arrest

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has suspended Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa, who was arrested earlier this month on charges of grand theft and fraud connected to $50,000 in pandemic-era relief money. The suspension took effect Friday.

The City of Kissimmee announced the move in a midnight news release. It said Vice Mayor Angela Eady will now serve as mayor. Eady had already been chosen to handle some mayoral duties after Espinosa was arrested on Oct. 21.

The governor's authority comes from the Florida Constitution, which lets him suspend any elected municipal official who has been indicted for a crime or arrested on a charge related to the duties of their office. According to the city, Eady will remain mayor until Espinosa's suspension is revoked or her term ends.

The charges center on Kissimmee's "Business Boost 2.0" grant program. The Florida Attorney's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement allege that Espinosa helped create and expand the program while serving as mayor. They say she then applied for $50,000 in grants for businesses tied to herself or her family, and that she ignored ethical concerns raised by city staff.

FOX 35 Orlando reviewed the arrest affidavit, which lays out where the money went. Three businesses owned by the mayor or her family received a combined $50,000 through three grants. The Real Estate Gallery, owned by Espinosa's husband, got $15,000. The Kissimmee Diner also received $15,000, and that business closed five months after the funding arrived. A new business has since opened in the space. Andanse LLC, which is owned by the mayor and leased by her and a family member, received $20,000.

The affidavit also states that four businesses paying rent in a building owned by the mayor received $10,000 each.

The city said its day-to-day operations will not change. The city manager oversees daily operations and city employees, and services will continue as normal.

Eady's departure from her commission seat leaves Seat 2 open. The City Commission must appoint a qualified person to fill it, and that appointee will not serve as vice mayor. If the commission does not make an appointment, the city will have to hold a special election to fill the seat, according to the city.

The information in this report was provided by the City of Kissimmee on Oct. 30, 2026.