Investigation against former Brevard commissioner concluded without charges

Former county commissioner Bryan Lober escaped tax fraud charges stemming from an investigation into his use of his county-issued credit card during the Covid-19 pandemic after the statute of limitations on the alleged crime expired earlier this year, prosecutors said Monday.

A Florida State Law Enforcement investigation, launched after irregularities were discovered during a November 2022 audit led by Brevard County Clerk of Court and Auditor Rachel Sadoff, produced evidence to charge Lober with a fraudulent tax exemption application, State Attorney Phil Archer’s office said in a news release.

However, the statute of limitations for the third-degree felony charge expired in April of this year before prosecutors could file charges, the press release said.

“Had the statute of limitations not unfortunately expired, Mr. Lober would have been prosecuted for the crime of fraudulently claiming a tax exemption. Based on the evidence uncovered during this investigation, prosecution is both appropriate and justified,” Archer said in a statement.

Lober said Monday afternoon that he would not comment on the results of the investigation until he had had a chance to review the press release and case files.

Prosecutors declined to file additional charges of grand theft and attempted fraud, as the FDLE had brought, because there was insufficient evidence, the release said. The decision was due in part to the fact that at the time of the alleged crimes, there were no rules in place for commissioners on how to use their county-issued purchasing cards, the release said.

The Brevard County Commission has issued new rules for the maps in response to the allegations against Lober.

“This investigation found clear evidence that Mr. Lober failed to adhere to the ethical standards of conduct expected of an elected official representing the interests of our community,” Archer said in his statement. “The apparent lack of specific policies to prevent the misuse of taxpayer funds and assist law enforcement does not relieve Mr. Lober of his sworn obligation to act in the public’s best interest, not his own.”

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