Florida mayor suspended over involvement in $5 million hurricane debris removal fraud

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — A Florida mayor was suspended and removed from office after being charged earlier in the week for her role in a $5 million fraud using Hurricane Michael debris funds.

Margo Anderson was removed as mayor of Lynn Haven, a town north of Panama City, Thursday by an executive order by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Shortly after DeSantis' order, Anderson resigned.

"Please accept my resignation," she wrote in a letter, WJHG reported. "I am innocent of the charges made against me. I want the city to be able to move forward in its recovery from Hurricane Michael."

Anderson and City Attorney Adam Allbritton are subjects of a federal corruption investigation that found they indefinitely extended a debris removal contract with a private company for the city. The company did work at both their homes and their friends' homes and charged it to the city. The pair also received kickbacks on projects they approved for the company.

Anderson and Allbritton were arrested Wednesday and charged with theft concerning federal programs and conspiring to commit wire fraud and honest services fraud.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cox Media Group