Orlando city commissioner Regina Hill is looking at multiple felonies for allegedly stealing more than $100k from a elderly woman in her care.
Regina Hill facing charges for ripping off elderly woman
Hill, 58, reportedly scammed a 96-year-old woman out of her life savings and spent the cash on a facelift, dental surgery, and hotel rooms.
She managed to rack up over $10,000 in debit in the woman’s name on clothing, car insurance, and personal expenses.
Hill is also accused of buying a $400,000 home that the woman was a cosigner without her knowledge, and moving into a second house the woman owned, then stealing $15,400 of the woman’s hard earned savings to renovate it.
Through her position as an Orlando city commissioner, Hill met the elderly woman in 2021, after she was found to be “living in deplorable conditions.”
Despite not having a prior relationship with the woman, she became her power of attorney, pre-need guardian, and health care surrogate, within a month.
According to The Independent, the elderly woman recalled signing “some sort of document,” that she admittedly did not understand, but certainly did not remember giving Hill permission to blow through her $164,000 in savings.
“At first glance, Hill’s actions appeared well-intentioned as she coordinated the clean-up of the victim’s residence and other community resources,” the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) said in a press release.
The agency was tipped off that Hill was “taking advantage of the community” by a former employee in 2023, and began a 13-month investigation into her crimes.
Hill turned herself in on Thursday and was arrested on seven felony charges including three counts of exploitation of an elderly person, one count of scheming to defraud over $50,000, one count of fraudulent use of personal information to purchase over $100,000 in service, one count of fraudulent use of personal information as a guardian or custodian, and one count of mortgage fraud.
Commissioner Regina Hill claims she’s innocent
Hill bonded out of custody after paying a $40,000 bond and told reporters that she was innocent of the charges.
“It’s unfortunate that I have been thrust into these circumstances with these allegations,” she remarked.
“Unfortunate not just for me but for Mrs. (victim’s name) whom I’ve loved and cared for like my own family.”
“I know the truth, I know I’m entitled to due process in which I trust, and I will await my day in court to prove my innocence,” Hill added. “After 10 years of service for the city of Orlando, I’ve Illustrated my love and compassion for my constituents, my city and my family.”
According to the West Orlando News, Hill has a history of bad behavior while in office. She was arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct on an out of state trip that was funded by taxpayer dollars.
She reportedly lived out of district while in office, and faced foreclosure on the home she lived at in 2016. In 2017, she was accused of committing affordable housing fraud.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis indicated that it would be a “typical” course of action to suspend Hill, a municipal elected official, if she is indicted by a grand jury.
“This is a target-rich environment, this state, for exploitation because you have a lot of seniors and you have a lot of seniors who are retired and have some income,” he commented.
Hill faces up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
