A Tallahassee firefighter and police officer are accused of pocketing the money they collected during a fundraiser for firefighters who passed away and ill police officers.
Tallahassee firefighter Joseph "Mike" Amison, 43, and his wife, Jennifer, 41, a police officer, face multiple charges. They include organized scheme to defraud, embezzlement and two counts of grand theft of $10,000 to $20,000, according to the Tallahassee Democrat that the Amisons.
Jennifer was arrested and released Wednesday, but police say Joseph has not turned himself in yet.
An investigator said the Amisons "demonstrated a pattern of taking advantage of the tragedies of other first responders by selling items under the guise of benefiting the families."
A February fundraiser was held to raise money for the families of Tallahassee firefighter Chris Thurman, who died from cancer and Brad Deanda, who died while he was off-duty. They were also raising money for the family of Shelby Allen, the daughter of a firefighter who was killed in a vehicle crash.
Investigators from Leon County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) believe $23,535 was raised at the February event.
When asked about the whereabouts of the money, which $4,000 had been distributed, the Amisons said they were forced out of their home and Jennifer has been undergoing chemotherapy treatments.
Three checks were issued in May when people asked about the remaining money.
"The Amisons have been threatening defamation of character lawsuits to anyone who comes forward about this case, and have emotionally manipulated people who have already suffered terrible tragedies into feeling sorry for them or being lenient with them despite being owed money that was rightfully theirs," the investigation said.
They also took on a fundraising effort to help two Texas police officers suffering brain cancer, but officials said no money was handed over.
The couple's landlord told police they owed $14,000 in back rent payments.
“It is apparent the Amisons lived beyond their means, overspending and overextending themselves in their personal accounts as well as on loans and credit cards,” LCSO investigators wrote in their report. “This may have been a factor in the Amisons setting up the charities they did: in order to apply a portion, or all, of the donated funds for their own use.”
