Article Courtesy of The Charlotte Sun
By STEVE REILLY
Published April 29, 2009
PORT CHARLOTTE -- The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation has completed its investigation of Charlotte Square's former condominium manager.
The DBPR attorneys are now reviewing their agency's investigation of the complaints against Stacy Herrin Tuck, a former Charlotte Square condo manager, said DBPR spokeswoman Kitrina Dean.
Tuck's condominium manager license is now listed as "delinquent," but Tuck stands accused of financial misconduct.
The state's Board of Community Association Managers will decide whether to dismiss complaints, suspend or revoke Tuck's condominium manager's license. The state board can also levy fines against her.
Last fall, suspicions arose that funds in the various association accounts had been inappropriately co-mingled, cashed or deposited into inappropriate bank accounts. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Unit is now investigating those complaints. No criminal charges have been filed.
According to the state DBPR reports, state investigators learned of a handwritten note, allegedly penned by Tuck, in which she threatened suicide and allegedly stated she stole a lot of money and feared she would go to prison.
"However, she did not make reference to how much or what accounts the money came from," the DBPR investigation report stated.
The DBPR report includes a letter, dated Sept. 4, 2008, from Sherry Danko, president of Star Hospitality Management Inc., that states, "After careful review of the financial records and accounts for the Charlotte Square condominium associations, it appears that you have deliberately and willfully stolen money from the association bank accounts. Therefore, I have no choice but to dismiss you effective immediately."
The DBPR cannot confirm nor deny any separate investigations or complaints against Star Hospitality -- or any other condo management firm, Dean said.
Prior to the discovery of the missing funds, the association's boards could have elected to have annual independent audits. The chose not to do that, however.
Since the discovery of the missing funds, Charlotte Square's Becker & Poliakoff attorneys contracted for a forensic audit of all of the Charlotte Square accounts. The audit is not completed, but Becker & Poliakoff attorneys suspect close to a $1 million may missing from the various associations' accounts.
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