‘She’s a thief. She’s a con. She’s a crook’: Former CEO of realtor group accused of stealing more than $81K. Here’s how she allegedly spent the cash

On Nov. 21, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd announced the arrest of 53-year-old Jennifer Garula-Mers, the former CEO of the East Polk County Association of Realtors (EPCAR), on charges of grand theft involving more than $81,000, according to 10News Tampa Bay (1). The case has left the realtor association "on the ropes" and "all but broke," Judd said at a press conference, forcing the organization to consider merging with another association just to survive.

"She needs to sit in jail," Judd declared, according to 10News. "She's a thief. She's a con. She's a crook."

How $81,000 disappeared over four years

Garula-Mers began her financial misconduct within months of being hired as EPCAR's CEO in 2020, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office (2). The theft continued until her termination in August 2024.

Garula-Mers allegedly gave herself unauthorized salary increases totaling $43,105.86, boosting her final annual salary to $99,472, the sheriff's office reported. She issued herself $12,500 in unauthorized bonuses and wrote additional payroll checks to herself totaling $20,348.89, according to FOX 13 Tampa Bay (3).

She didn't stop there. Garula-Mers altered EPCAR's contribution rate to her individual retirement account, netting an additional $7,938.27, the Polk County Sheriff's Office stated. She submitted improper reimbursements totaling $2,112.97.

The EPCAR credit card became another tool for personal gain. Detectives discovered $3,267.51 in non-business transactions, including dining, shopping, beauty supplies, household goods, and Amazon purchases, according to 10News (1).

In total, investigators documented losses of $81,453.92, the sheriff's office reported (2).

Webb challenges the board

Webb's concerns about financial irregularities began early in his presidency. When he challenged Garula-Mers at board meetings for documents and financial information, she refused to comply, according to Judd's press conference remarks reported by 10News (1).

The response from EPCAR's board of directors was perhaps more troubling than the alleged theft itself: they sided with Garula-Mers, dismissing Webb as a troublemaker and suggesting he leave both the presidency and the association entirely, according to the sheriff's report.

"When the new president comes in and says there's a problem, the executive board of directors ignores him, chastises him, and suggests he not only leave the association but the presidency," Judd said, as reported by FOX 13 (3). "But who was right here?"

Undeterred, Webb filed a civil lawsuit to stop what he believed was the theft of association funds. That's when things took a darker turn.

Alleged extortion by ‘Anthony in Chicago’

After Webb filed his lawsuit, he and his father—also a realtor—received a threatening phone call from someone identifying himself as "Anthony from Chicago," according to sheriff's office investigators. "Things are not going to end well if the lawsuit goes on," the caller warned, according to 10News.

Detectives traced the phone back to David Stachowiak, 55, according to the sheriff's office. Judd said Stachowiak was a "co-conspirator" hired by Garula-Mers, 10News reported.

Stachowiak was arrested in October 2024 and faces multiple felony charges, including extortion, tampering with evidence, and use of a two-way communication device in the commission of a crime, according to Lake Wales News (4). He has since bonded out of jail and awaits trial.

Garula-Mers was arrested Nov. 20, 2025, by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office in Spring Hill, Florida, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. She faces a second-degree felony charge and is being held with no bond until her first court appearance.

Why does this keep happening? The vulnerability of small associations

Unfortunately, the EPCAR case is not uncommon. Small nonprofits, trade associations, and membership organizations across America are vulnerable to fraud and embezzlement, often with devastating consequences. One-sixth of all embezzlement cases in the United States involve nonprofit and religious organizations, ranking just behind the financial sector in vulnerability to internal theft, according to the Washington Post (5). The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners' 2024 Report to the Nations found that nonprofits suffered a median loss of $76,000 per case, up from $60,000 in 2020 (6).

Many small associations rely on one executive to handle payroll, reimbursements, membership dues, and event budgets — with no separation of duties, that person can operate unchecked for years. Trade associations typically have volunteer boards composed of industry professionals who may lack accounting training. They're focused on their own businesses and trust the professional they've hired to manage the organization.

On top of all that, professional forensic audits cost money, sometimes more than small organizations can afford. According to Upper Michigan's Source (7), many associations simply can't afford the investigation needed to pursue prosecution, meaning "in many cases, the criminal will walk free."

A pattern continuing across America

Recent cases illustrate the scope of the problem:

In October 2025, former Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Jonathan Weinhagen was indicted on federal charges of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars, KARE 11 reported (8). Prosecutors allege Weinhagen created a fictional consulting company under an alias, billing the chamber more than $100,000. Most shocking: prosecutors say Weinhagen stole $30,000 that the chamber had donated to Crime Stoppers as reward money for unsolved shootings of children in north Minneapolis, KARE 11 reported.

In August 2025, Elizabeth Simpers, the former Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce president, was arrested after allegedly taking more than $69,000 for personal expenses including dental work, jewelry, and massage services, WRAL reported (9). Simpers had faced similar allegations at her previous employer—the YMCA—yet was still hired to lead the chamber, according to WRAL.

Homeowners associations aren’t immune. In April 2024, Sharon Lee Ann Gordon, treasurer of a Utah HOA, was sentenced after embezzling over $232,000 by writing checks to herself and her boyfriend and forging board members' signatures, according to an IRS press release (10).

The real cost to EPCAR

When a small association suffers embezzlement, the financial loss is only the beginning. For realtor associations specifically, embezzlement can force members to pay higher dues to cover losses, lose access to continuing education requirements, face delayed licensing support, or join larger regional associations at greater cost.

The reputational damage can be equally devastating. For organizations dependent on voluntary contributions or membership dues, loss of confidence can prove fatal. As EPCAR now faces, associations may be forced to merge or dissolve when their financial reserves disappear.

How to protect your organization

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the top three causes of nonprofit fraud are lack of internal controls, lack of oversight of existing controls, and override of controls. But even small organizations with limited budgets can implement critical safeguards:

Separate financial duties: The person who writes checks should not be the same person who reconciles bank statements. Even in small organizations, splitting these responsibilities between two or three people dramatically reduces risk.

Require two signatures: Checks or transfers above a certain threshold should require two authorized signatures, according to the National Council of Nonprofits (11). This simple control would have prevented many documented embezzlement cases.

Conduct regular audits: Annual independent audits by external accountants can catch irregularities before they become catastrophic. For organizations that can't afford full audits, even periodic surprise reviews of bank statements and vendor payments create accountability.