Scamming a veteran could become first-degree felony in Florida

Orlando, Fla. — Committing fraud against a veteran could become an “aggravated” white-collar crime next year.

Florida's Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced his support of The Florida Veterans Protection Act at the University of Central Florida this morning.

“When you take advantage of one of our veterans, we’re going to take the level of the law and make it as punitive as we can for those individuals,” Patronis said.

The bill, filed in September, would enhance the sentence of a fraudster who victimizes 10 or more veterans to obtain $50,000 or more to a first-degree felony.

If approved in January, the bill would become law on Oct. 1 2020.

Florida is home nearly 1.5 million veterans who, according to Patronis, are twice as likely to be the victim of fraud.