TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – A Tallahassee-based watchdog is calling on the Tallahassee Police Department to turn over its investigation into “more than a million” dollars allegedly stolen from city hall to the FBI.
The board of Citizens for Government Accountability (CGA) announced on Tuesday that it had filed a complaint with the FBI, urging them to step in. Former Mayor Dot Inman-Johnson, the CEO of CGA, went so far as to call the investigation a “cover-up.”
The “missing million,” as it’s been coined, was allegedly stolen from the city back in March of 2024. Back then, Commissioner Curtis Richardson told WCTV that a scammer posed as a legitimate vendor, and the money was paid to their account.
A WCTV records request last year revealed no members of the Treasurer-Clerk’s office had been disciplined for the error.
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CGA also called on the city’s inspector general, who recently received greater protections from being fired, to launch an investigation into the city’s procedures to ensure a similar scam wouldn’t happen again.
Just this afternoon, the city’s independent watchdog confirmed to WCTV that the inspector general will launch a professional standards investigation when the criminal investigation is completed or if law enforcement tells him it’s stalled.
The inspector general responded to WCTV’s request for comment via email Tuesday afternoon.
The criminal investigation into the fraud they are referring to is still underway. The professional standards the OIG follows call for any administrative investigation by my office wait until the conclusion of all criminal investigations so that the work of my office does not inadvertently cause problems with the prosecution of the wrongdoer. I understand it is frustrating, especially for those who do not understand the role of an Inspectors General. Additionally, I’m not sure what specifically that group is asserting the OIG has referred to city management.
A police department spokesperson declined an on-camera interview but said the following:
“Currently, the investigation remains open and active. Due to the ongoing nature of the case, we are limited in the amount of information we can share; however, the matter continues to be thoroughly reviewed. We will provide updates when it is appropriate and consistent with the integrity of the investigation.”
The CGA board said they previously asked FDLE to investigate the incident some months ago, but since FDLE also didn’t respond, they decided to make a complaint with the FBI on Tuesday.
A request for comment from FDLE is pending, as is a request for comment from the inspector general. Should we hear back, this article will be updated.
Privately, some inside city hall wonder if Inman-Johnson, a previous candidate for Tallahassee City Commission, created CGA as a political move. When asked if she was running for any office on Tuesday, she said no and pointed out that CGA is overseen by a board and is a registered nonprofit.
An inspector general report from 2020 shows the city had been the victim of financial fraud at least once before. Then, in 2023, a former employee received one day in jail for time card fraud. The million-dollar scam then occurred in March of 2024 and remains unsolved.
Previously, a city spokesperson said the U.S. Secret Service is also aiding in the investigation into the missing million.
Tune into Eyewitness News at 5 and 6 p.m. to watch the full story. This article will be updated later with more details.
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