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Investigators detail $1 million in frozen funds, EBT frauds and a drop in overdoses
Summary
Volusia investigators described a California‑linked email scam that led to large wire transfers and freezes on nearly $1 million, EBT card frauds tied to out‑of‑state schemes, ongoing impersonation scams run from prison, and a countywide drop in overdose deaths.
County investigators summarized multiple fraud and narcotics trends affecting DeBary and Volusia County and reported arrests and seizures tied to those investigations.
Investigators said an email compromise led a victim to wire nearly $500,000 to suspects in California; law enforcement later froze almost $1 million across accounts tied to two suspects and associates. Officials said there is a related victim in Washington, D.C., and that investigators are pursuing seizure and reimbursement processes. Investigators also said the two suspects and their associates have moved large sums since December — the transcript cites about $19 million in transactions investigators are reviewing.
The briefing described EBT‑card fraud where stolen benefits originating, investigators said, from Colorado were being used in Florida. Officials reported multiple arrests of people alleged to be using fraudulently obtained benefits; deputies said they recovered large quantities of baby formula and other goods believed to have been purchased with stolen benefits and will donate recovered items to local shelters.
Investigators described an ongoing impersonation scam in which people in a Georgia prison allegedly use smuggled phones to call victims posing as law enforcement and demand Bitcoin payments. Officials said several people have been arrested or face warrants, and one suspect was being extradited the week after the briefing.
On narcotics and overdose trends, Paul Cameron of special investigations reported a roughly 40% decline in county overdose deaths so far in 2025, citing about 78 deaths this year compared with 129 last year. He credited enforcement actions and community partnerships, including task forces and a drug‑supply investigative unit, for part of the decline. Cameron said Southwest Volusia narcotics work resulted in seizures of roughly 230 grams of cocaine, 52 grams of fentanyl and 92 grams of methamphetamine — a combined street value the presenters estimated at about $150,000 — and resulted in about 45 arrests.
Officials said they continue to investigate money movement, arrest suspects where evidence supports charges, and pursue multi‑jurisdictional cooperation to disrupt fraud and narcotics networks.
