Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill indicted in elder-abuse probe

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill has been indicted by a grand jury on charges related to elder exploitation and fraud, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced Thursday morning. She is being held in Orange County jail on a $40,000 bond.

The city commissioner, first elected in 2013, represents downtown Orlando and neighborhoods west of Interstate 4 on city council. Her relationship with a 96-year-old constituent is at the center of a months-long investigation of her, which was detailed in an injunction against her handed down by an Orange County judge last week.

The indictment filed in Orange County on Wednesday indicates she faces three charges of elder exploitation after she was accused of abusing her power of attorney over the constituent, whose name the Orlando Sentinel is not publishing, and misusing her money. Hill is further charged with two counts of identity fraud and single counts of mortgage fraud and scheming to defraud of at least $50,000.

The woman and a family friend who sought the injunction on her behalf allege that Hill met the woman in 2021, soon gained power of attorney over her, and over time drained the woman’s bank accounts of about $100,000 to pay for home renovations, expensive perfumes, clothing, a facelift and a hotel room in Miami.

FDLE had been investigating Hill for more than a year. The agency is hosting a press conference at 2 p.m.

The city was informed of Hill’s arrest Thursday, and said that if she’s suspended, they’d move to fill her seat on the city council through a special election. City code outlines a swift process for that.

“We do not have any authority to discipline an elected official, including suspending them from office, as that power lies with the Governor,” said Cassandra Bell, a spokesperson for Mayor Buddy Dyer. “As additional background, if the Governor suspends Hill from office, pursuant to the city’s charter, we will work with the Supervisor of Elections to hold a special election to temporarily fill the district 5 city commission seat.”

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