An Orlando-area state Senate candidate, Cheryl Blancett, is currently facing charges for allegedly stealing $47,722 from a homeowners association, where she managed finances. This case is set to go to trial in September. Blancett, also known as CJ, has been charged with grand theft of $20,000 or more, a second-degree felony, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel.
The accusation stems from activities that occurred between 2018 and 2019 while Blancett was responsible for Sawgrass Estates' financial operations in east Orange County. She has entered a plea of not guilty to these charges, and she believes that the accusations are politically motivated, and lacking in probable cause. "The bogus case against me was filed maliciously," she wrote in a text, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Deputies, however, claim Blancett mixed the homeowners association funds with her own LLC account, and used it for personal purchases not approved as homeowners association expenses.
The ClickOrlando report states that Blancett, 63, is among the candidates vying for the Republican nomination in the upcoming Florida Senate District 13 race. The primary contest, scheduled for August 20, includes Blancett, businessman Bowen Kou, and current state Rep. Keith Truenow. Allegations of inappropriate financial conduct have brought a cloud over Blancett's campaign, contrasting with her self-described image as a "motivator of souls, lover of life, seeker of truth and gladiator for the U.S. Constitution" on her campaign site, as detailed by Orlando Sentinel.
Adding to the political drama, Kou is embroiled in a lawsuit against the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee over a libel accusation linked to a political mailer, questioning his ties to the Chinese government. This mailer was sent out in support of Truenow and has stirred its own pot of controversy. Meanwhile, the winner of the primary is set to face Democrat Stephanie Dukes in the November general election. If convicted, Blancett could face up to 15 years in prison as per Florida statutes.
