17 Florida sheriff’s deputies accused of stealing about $500,000 in pandemic relief funds

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Seventeen Florida sheriff’s deputies have appeared in court on charges that they stole about half a million dollars in pandemic relief funds. Court records show that the Broward County deputies are charged separately with a range of crimes. Most are charged with wire fraud, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, though one deputy is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which has a maximum sentence of five years. Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony said at a news conference that the 17 defendants have been suspended and that his office is working to fire them all.