Orlando HOA fraud probe: Former president accused of using association funds for personal bills

ORLANDO, Fla. - Central Florida residents say they pay thousands of dollars in HOA fees, but they don't know where that money is going. In fact, the former HOA President of the Stonebridge Place association in Orlando is currently facing criminal charges in Orlando for stealing over $500 worth of merchandise from Target. 

Now, Stonebridge Place association has seen four different management companies in just nine months. A Stonebridge Place homeowner called the experience "chaotic." 

What we know:

For townhome owners in Stonebridge Place, monthly HOA fees are $445. For condo owners, it’s $530. Annually, that funnels roughly $1.8 million into the association's coffers. But many residents told FOX 35 those dollars haven’t bought the one thing they want most: transparency.

Stonebridge has seen four different management companies in nine months. Ending those contracts early has already cost the HOA $18,000 in termination fees during those nine months.

Management company turnover

FOX 35's Marie Edinger spoke with all four of those management companies: Beacon, Blue Sky, Sentry, and Bono and Associates.

Bono and Associates said they were hired, but ended up not coming in, because the termination of Sentry’s contract remains in dispute.

Each of the ones that were fired provided documentation disputing the reasons for their termination – often relating to disputes over unpaid bills. 

Two of those companies claim they were fired after raising concerns about potential financial mismanagement by now-former HOA President, Tara Howie.

Retail charges made to HOA accounts

Then-HOA President Tara Howie sat down with Edinger the day before MetroWest wound up removing her from her post. Records show Howie was appointed by the MetroWest Master Association in June 2025.

"I get it, people are upset," she told Edinger at the time. 

Edinger asked her about charges made to the HOA accounts when Stonebridge was between management companies. The charges include paying for things like Howie's phone bill, a Macy’s bill, and Amazon purchases, Edinger reported.

In total, there was $1,186.49 made in Howie’s name, classified as unrecognized transactions.

Attempting to cash HOA's money: Orlando Police investigation

Howey also attempted to cash a cashier’s check for $743,000 of the HOA’s money, but the bank stopped the transaction and opened a fraud case, Edinger reported. 

The company that managed Stonebridge Place prior, BlueSky, saw that activity being made within the HOA’s accounts and reported Howie to the Orlando Police Department for fraud.

They explained to responding officers that they’d been fired "for being ‘too involved,’" the police report says.

What they're saying:

Howie says that was all a misunderstanding.

"That was cleared by the detective," Howie said, explaining she’d never tried to impersonate anyone when she made the charges or move the money. "I had my ID."

Howie told Orlando Police the unrecognized transactions were because she’d made purchases for the community using her own money, and was getting reimbursed through the HOA account. And she was moving the HOA’s money so she could pay contractors.

Orlando Police determined they didn’t have sufficient evidence for the case, and closed it. 

However, this isn't the first time Howie was accused of fraud.

The HOA President’s rap sheet

In 2012 and 2014, Howie took plea deals in New Jersey for stealing $800,000 from wards in her care while working for a guardianship attorney. She was sentenced to a total of 9 years in prison.

Right now, she’s facing criminal charges in Orlando for stealing over $500 worth of merchandise from Target.

Reserve funds spent: Pending lawsuit

One management company’s records show a reserve account that held $770,000 in August has since been depleted by more than $100,000, with funds moved to a CD account that is currently being drawn down.

Now, Stonebridge Place has filed a lawsuit against Howie accusing her of not releasing access to those funds.

Tara Howie responds to accusations

Howie explained why charges were made to the HOA account. 

She told Edinger, she’d ask the management companies to buy things, but they wouldn’t get it done.

Once she had access to the HOA funds, she did it herself – buying things for the community like new pool furniture and a new golf cart.

"That's just discretionary income that we can improve things," said Howie. "We promised it as new board members that we were going to change."

Homeowners Edinger spoke with said they weren't necessarily upset by the purchases – just that they were made without input from the neighborhood.

Under new leadership

After Edinger spoke with Howie, the MetroWest Master Association removed the entire board and appointed an interim leadership team, comprised of other MWMA board members. 

The MWMA told Edinger the interim Board’s purpose was to "bring Stonebridge Place into compliance with association law."

They also confirmed to FOX 35 that the association's affairs are now under review by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Office of the Attorney General.

The HOA’s finances today

In a March meeting, the new HOA Board recorded $345,000 in payables, but $245,000 in receivables – leaving them $100,000 short. They also stated they had $121,000 in reserves.

That did not include the reserve account still in Howie’s name, which resulted in Orlando PD’s investigation. The account, which at one time held about $750,000, is in Howie’s name and only accessible to her.

Now, MetroWest has filed a lawsuit against Howie, demanding access to that account.

"In spite of the statutory requirement to turnover records and property of the Association within five days of her removal from the board of directors, [Howie] has failed to turn over the Association's official records, passwords, and bank account," the lawsuit alleges. "This unauthorized retention of Association records and funds has caused, and continues to cause, unnecessary expenses and disputes, and prevents the Association from operating as required by the governing documents."

What they're saying:

"They are stewards of our hard-earned money and they are showing, in my opinion, negligence in terms of being accountable," said Adam Bilbrey, a Stonebridge Place resident.
"Our understanding is that she was the only person with access to a fairly sizable amount of money of the HOA," said Bilbrey. "It’s an egregious failure of governance on the part of [MetroWest]."

Slashed tires, discrimination accusations

After the HOA board was removed and replaced, tires were slashed across the neighborhood.

One woman who was vocal in her disapproval of the previous HOA board’s handling of the community’s finances has now had her tires slashed two separate times in a matter of days. She reported both incidents to Orlando Police.

FOX 35 News is aware of other incidents that have not been reported to police by residents who said they feared involving law enforcement would result in further retaliation. Photos of damaged tires show slash or puncture marks about an inch in length, with nothing such as a nail embedded in the tire to explain the damage.

While the former board was still in place, residents complained about inconsistent towing practices.

One resident even accused a former board member of targeting minorities, and the Office of the Attorney General filed a discrimination lawsuit that remains pending.

"It's been very, very chaotic," said Mary Newkirk, whose car was towed repeatedly from a spot right outside her home that she’d parked in for years.

Although there are "no parking" signs placed in large numbers throughout the neighborhood, there are none in the place from which Newkirk was towed.

New HOA laws in the works

Relief for homeowners could be coming from Tallahassee. There's currently a bill moving through the legislature, would provide a legal mechanism for homeowners to dissolve their associations entirely.

Edinger asked Attorney General James Uthmeier about that.

"We see a trend across the state of Florida right now where HOAs are engaging in abuse," Uthmeier told Edinger.

"We've received numerous complaints about HOAs, some criminal, some civil, just abuse of power."

That bill would take effect July 1 if it passes.

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