Ginger Bowden Madden, State Attorney for the First Judicial Circuit of Florida, announces that on January 11, 2021, former City of Fort Walton Beach Finance Director, Brandy Ferris, pled no contest to felony charges of Organized Fraud and Money Laundering. She will sentenced by Okaloosa County Circuit Judge Stone on August 19, 2021.
From May 2019 to February 2020, the Defendant made over $50,000 in personal charges on an unauthorized and off the books credit card account in the name of the City of Fort Walton Beach. To avoid detection, she then paid down the balance with funds from a separate City account. Upon discovery, she was immediately terminated and arrested.
This case was investigated by the City of Fort Walton Beach Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Thomas Williams. He can be reached at (850) 595-4200.
