Investigators say a Miramar public insurance adjuster turned hurricane misery into his personal payday, siphoning off more than $611,000 in Hurricane Ian insurance money that was supposed to help South Florida homeowners rebuild.
One of those homeowners, Lee County cancer survivor Carla Dickey, told reporters she believes about $41,000 meant for her flooded home never made it out of the adjuster’s hands. When detectives broke the news, she said she “broke down to tears” and now doubts she will ever see the money.
Arrest and allegations
According to a probable cause affidavit, 46-year-old Francisco Javier Chaparro-Araus, owner of All Elements Public Adjusters in Miramar, is accused of unlawfully withholding $611,473.39 in settlement proceeds that belonged to ten policyholders. As reported by Insurance Journal, investigators say insurers issued settlement checks for Hurricane Ian damage, but the money was deposited into a Bank of America business account controlled by Chaparro-Araus and never forwarded to clients.
How investigators say the money disappeared
Investigators said the account was quickly drained through a mix of online transfers, Zelle and wire payments, point-of-sale debit card transactions and what they described as “excessive and substantial” cash withdrawals at the Seminole Hard Rock and Calder casinos. According to Local 10, jail records and arrest documents list multiple criminal counts, including alleged misapplication of insurance premiums and financial exploitation of older policyholders.
‘I broke down in tears’
Dickey told Tampa Bay 28 she was in the middle of a cancer fight when Hurricane Ian flooded her Lee County home, only to later learn that tens of thousands of dollars in insurance money allegedly vanished. She said she does not expect to recover the roughly $41,000 she believes she is owed and urged prosecutors to press the case hard on behalf of every homeowner who was caught up in the alleged scheme.
Charges and court timeline
Chaparro-Araus is facing a long list of felony charges, including organized fraud, grand theft, exploitation of the elderly and multiple counts alleging misapplication of insurance premiums, according to arrest documents and jail records. Local 10 details the specific counts. Insurance Journal reports that he was previously arrested in July 2024 on similar allegations and that state records show past suspensions of his public-adjuster license. His arraignment is scheduled for June 29 at the Broward County Courthouse, according to Tampa Bay 28.
What victims and homeowners should know
Authorities say disaster-related fraud often hits people when they are at their lowest, in the chaotic months after a storm when homeowners are desperate to fix roofs, walls and wiring. Investigators advise keeping copies of all claim paperwork, bank statements and any contracts or agreements with third-party adjusters.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau and federal disaster-fraud officials recommend that anyone who suspects an adjuster or contractor is pocketing insurance payouts report it to local law enforcement and to the National Center for Disaster Fraud. The NCDF offers detailed reporting guidance and an online complaint form for cases that may have a federal angle. NICB and the U.S. Department of Justice list hotlines and web portals for people who want to share tips or file complaints.
