Amnesty for Carolina Amesty: Feds won’t pursue criminal case over COVID loans, defense lawyer says

Among those candidates getting Chamber endorsements is Carolina Amesty

Former Rep. Carolina Amesty will not be indicted and the federal government has dropped its criminal investigation, her attorney, Brad Bondi, said in a court filing Wednesday.

“On July 28, 2025, counsel for Ms. Amesty learned that the government had ceased its criminal investigation related to grand jury proceedings it referenced in its July 11 filing and withdrew its outstanding subpoenas. We understand that the government no longer plans to seek an indictment,” Bondi wrote.

“Indeed, defense counsel understands that due to the significant exculpatory material that was provided to the government, it no longer intends to seek an indictment against Ms. Amesty.”

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida declined to comment Wednesday afternoon.

Amesty was accused of fraudulently obtaining $122,000 worth of loans intended to help small businesses during the COVID pandemic. The federal complaint said she used the money to pay her credit cards, buy furniture and spend on other businesses that she and her family ran.

Amesty hired the brother of U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to represent her in the matter.

“The Economic Injury Disaster Loans in question — primarily to Christian organizations — were obtained appropriately in good faith and with no misrepresentations,” Brad Bondi argued earlier in court records.

“Indeed, underscoring the utter lack of any criminal intent, Ms. Amesty spent over two hours on the phone with the Small Business Administration to ensure complete compliance with the law. These are not the actions of a criminal but a person who tried to — and did — get it right.”

Both prosecutors and Amesty’s defense attorney had requested more time and delayed court proceedings as the federal government decided whether or not to indict her.

Amesty has won a series of legal victories, although the Republican lost her 2024 race for re-election in House District 45.

Last year, State Attorney Andrew Bain, a Gov. Ron DeSantis appointee, decided not to pursue felony charges for forgery.

“A grand jury indicted Amesty last year on allegations that she forged the signature of a man who was working for her family’s K-12 academy on the form, and then improperly notarized it,” the Orlando Sentinel previously reported. “The man told the Sentinel and FDLE investigators he did not sign the form.”

Last month Amesty successfully had her court criminal forgery records pulled from the Orange County Clerk of Courts’ website as she sought to get them expunged.