Kissimmee real estate broker pleads guilty to bank fraud
The Department of Justice has announced a Kissimmee woman will face federal bank fraud charges in her role in providing false underwriting to lenders.
Maria Del Carmen Montes, 46, has pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud. Each count carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Montes, along with a co-conspirator and others, created and carried out a mortgage fraud scheme targeting financial institutions. Montes assisted clients with purchasing homes and after signing the real estate contract, referred her buyers to a loan officer at a mortgage company. In order to qualify her clients for mortgages for which they were unqualified, Montes transferred the personally-identifying and financial information to an accomplice who created fictitious pay stubs and W-2s which showed false earnings and employment for her clients, knowing that her clients never worked for the companies on the fictitious employment documents. Montes submitted those fictitious pay stubs and W-2s to financial institutions, who relied on them when making underwriting decisions.
Get your KUA Energy Conservation calendar now! Here’s who’s in it
Kissimmee Utility Authority has released its 2024 Calendar of Energy Conservation, an annual bilingual calendar featuring the winning entries from its 30th annual Student Art Contest.
The calendar, available free of charge at the utility’s 1701 W. Carroll Street customer service center, features helpful energy conservation tips, and incorporates the Osceola County School District calendar for convenient family and student planning.
For 30 years, Osceola County elementary students use art to promote energy conservation among students and their families. This year, 1,181 entries were received from 21 Osceola County elementary public, private, and charter schools.
A panel of judges selected 12 entries—one for each calendar month— which are featured in the wall calendar. It includes: Aubrie Rios Colón, Highlands Elementary, 3rd Grade (Grand Prize Winner); Karsyn Crowell, Celebration K-8, 1st Grade; Emma Gonzalez, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, 3rd Grade; Yusuf Adam, Highlands Elementary, 3rd Grade; Faithlyn Selvam, St. Cloud Elementary, 4th Grade; Julianna Mapalo, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, 5th Grade; Isabella Salas Humbria, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, 1st Grade; Victor Grzeskowiak, Holy Redeemer Catholic School, 4th Grade; Jaysiah Carr, Lakeview Elementary, 1st Grade; Mario Corcino, Celebration K-8, 4th Grade; Rodrigo Paez Pinto, Celebration K-8, Kindergarten; Shanty Zarrazaga, The Vine Christian Academy, 3rd Grade.
OSCAR names Board of Directors
The Osceola County Association of REALTORS has installed its 2024 Board of Directors who will serve the Association during its centennial year.
Among the new leadership are the 2024 President, James K. Lowe; President-Elect, Renee Clark; Immediate Past-President, Imran Mohamed; Treasurer, Kelvis Melo; Secretary, Maria Napolitano; and CEO Twis Lizasuain. Additionally, the Board of Directors includes Maricarmen Albelo, Christina Daugherty, Maria Lebron, Angel Ortiz, Teresa Reilly-O’Doherty, Donna Ross, Nicholas Shrouder, Gladys Thayer, Sue Vasquez, and Alex Zweydoff.
“I am deeply honored to partner with our incoming Board of Directors during this significant centennial year. Each of our directors brings with them great expertise and achievements that will serve our association well,” Lowe said. “As we reflect on our past 100 years and the impact we have made on our community, we are eager to continue making a positive difference in the years to come.”
Cullen Brown named Poinciana Hospital CEO
HCA Florida Healthcare has announced the appointment of Cullen Brown as chief executive officer of HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital. Brown will oversee the 94-bed acute care hospital in Poinciana. Brown has more than a decade of serving in leadership roles at HCA Healthcare.
“Cullen is a leader of great integrity with a strong commitment to fostering a culture of caring like family for our patients and colleagues,” said Brian Cook, president, HCA Healthcare North Florida Division. “I have every confidence he and the team at HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital will continue our company’s legacy of caring like family for our colleagues, patients and our communities for years to come.”
Brown most recently served as the chief operating officer and ethics and compliance officer at Riverside (Calif.) Community Hospital, responsible for overseeing more than $100 million in construction projects, including a Level III NICU expansion, 24 telemetry bed addition, 20-bed emergency department expansion, cardiac catheterization lab addition, upgraded computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, and hospital campus updates. Prior, Brown served as the chief operating officer at Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center.
“I look forward to working with the HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital team as we continue to grow our services and attract and retain the best talent to serve the changing healthcare needs of our communities,” Brown said. “Our healthcare professionals here in Central Florida have cared for hundreds of thousands of individuals and families, creating healthier tomorrows with each healing moment. It is truly an honor to be a part of the HCA Florida Healthcare family and I look forward to what our teams will accomplish together.”
HCA Florida Healthcare support Boys & Girls Clubs with $10k donation, mentoring
HCA Florida Healthcare’s partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida’s Pathways to Success initiative, to help inspire young people to consider healthcare careers, comes with a $10,000 donation and providing information on the wide variety of healthcare career opportunities.
Through the Pathways to Success program, participants met HCA Florida Healthcare doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, X-ray technicians, facility maintenance and accounting professionals. This engagement helps to strengthen career readiness in Central Florida by inspiring young minds through the exploration of diverse roles within the health care field.
