FDLE confirms investigation into Orlando-area Rep. Amesty – Orlando Sentinel

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is currently investigating state Rep. Carolina Amesty and her family’s nonprofit school, Central Christian University, the agency confirmed Monday.

Agency spokesman Jensen Rayburn declined to provide further details about the investigation, which follows an Orlando Sentinel investigation into Amesty’s background, credentials and conduct in her previous role as an administrator at her family’s small school on North Hiawassee Road in Orange County. Amesty, a Republican, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022 to represent a district that includes much of southwest Orange, including Walt Disney World, and part of northwest Osceola County.

The Sentinel’s recent investigative story detailed how Amesty notarized a form in September 2021 claiming that Robert Shaffer, a veteran educator with a doctorate from the University of Florida, was an employee of the university. But Shaffer, who previously served as principal of the neighboring K-12 school run by Amesty’s family, told the Sentinel he never worked at the university nor did he sign the form Amesty claimed.

Three handwriting experts consulted by the Sentinel also said the signature was unlikely to be his. One said there was “no chance” that Shaffer signed the document. Two of the experts said Shaffer’s signature could have been Amesty’s, who swore under Florida law that the signature was genuine, using her notary stamp. The third expert agreed that Amesty’s handwriting was similar to the handwriting in the signature line of Shaffer’s personal form, but did not comment on whether she had written his name.

As a notary, Amesty is a state-appointed official who can certify the authenticity of signatures on important documents. Under Florida law, hiring a notary to “falsely or fraudulently” certify a signature is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Amesty, 29, has repeatedly declined to be interviewed by Sentinel reporters. She and her father, Juan Amesty, who serves as the school’s president, did not respond to emails Monday seeking comment on the FDLE investigation.

The FDLE is the primary state law enforcement agency in Florida.

Through her attorney, Carolina Amesty sent an affidavit to the Sentinel earlier this year in which she swore she saw Shaffer, 87, sign the form the day it was notarized.

Following the FDLE’s revelation, Amesty now faces two state investigations. Last month, the Sentinel reported that state authorities are looking into whether Amesty violated Florida notary laws after a reader filed a complaint based on the newspaper’s reporting.

The article cited a May 8 letter from the Notary Division of the Governor’s Office to a retired police officer who lives in Seminole County, saying an investigation had been launched into Amesty’s conduct as a notary.

Amesty said in an email last month that she was confident the notary department’s investigation “will not uncover any wrongdoing.” She added that it “defy[s]all logic” that Shaffer, as he claims, filled out most of the form but did not sign it. Instead, she said, it is likely that Shaffer forgot to sign the form nearly three years ago.

As part of the investigation launched by the governor’s office, Amesty must file a sworn written response to each of the issues under investigation, according to a letter sent to the complainant last week by Notary Coordinator Diedre Leaks.

“Please note that the purpose of this investigation is to assist the Governor in evaluating the Notary’s suitability to hold public office,” Leaks wrote.

The governor’s office did not respond to questions about the investigation last month.

In addition to Shaffer, the documents submitted to the Florida Department of Education listed the names of four other men as teachers at Central Christian, who also told the Sentinel they had never worked for the university.

The credentials of Shaffer and the four other men, all of whom have college degrees, likely helped the school get a state license because rules require most teachers to have an advanced degree. Florida first granted Central Christian a license in 2022 and renewed it last year. The school needed a license to switch from religious courses, which are exempt from state licensing, to secular courses in fields such as hotel management and psychology.

Amesty is running for re-election this year in the state House of Representatives’ 45th district. The incumbent from the Windermere area has one opponent: first-time Democrat Leonard Spencer, a former Disney executive who now works for Amazon.

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