CFO Atwater Announces 14 Arrests After Investigation Known As ‘Operation Flames and Floods’ Exposes Multi-Million Dollar Insurance Fraud

TALLAHASSEE – February 4, 2014 – (RealEstateRama) — CFO Jeff Atwater today announced the arrests of 14 individuals following a joint investigation between the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Miami-Dade Police Department’s Arson Unit. “Operation Flames and Floods,” as it was termed upon its inception in November 2012, exposed an extensive scheme to defraud several insurance companies by staging fire and water damage claims to residential homes in Miami-Dade County, Lehigh Acres and Naples. The losses exceeded several million dollars after 13 homes were set on fire and five more reported extensive water damage