ORLANDO, Fla. – New documents obtained by News 6 show former Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill is under federal investigation.
According to the investigative documents released by the Office of the State Attorney for the Ninth Judicial District, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development opened an investigation into Hill last year.
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“…it was learned that a concurrent investigation was being conducted by Special Agent (SA) Carlos Castillo from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG),” the document reads. “The involvement of Special Agent Castillo was related to the purchase of the home at by Commissioner Hill, due to the fact that the home was sold by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and federal loans were secured as the mortgage.”
According to court records, Hill is accused of obtaining a $428,000 mortgage for the home located on Domino Drive in Orlando.
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She is accused of fraudulently obtaining power of attorney for a 96-year-old woman to obtain the mortgage, in addition to using more than $100,000 of the woman’s money for things like cosmetic surgery, intravenous vitamin treatments and more.
Hill has denied any wrongdoing, and she has not been charged with any federal crimes, but the documents also shed more light on the state charges Hill still faces.
The woman’s will
According to the investigative report, investigators interviewed the 96-year-old victim and asked her if she had planned to leave anything to Hill in her will.
“Why would I?” she asked the investigator. “I never thought about Regina, leaving Regina?”
“SA Brenton asked (the woman) about a worksheet for a will. The worksheet of the will stated that 10% of her stock and home value would go to Mount Olive Church, 10% would go to Talladega College, and the rest of the value would go to Commissioner Hill and (Commissioner Hill’s grandson). The worksheet for the will also states that (two) properties would go to Commissioner Hill and her grandson. (The woman) said that was not her wish. She wanted one to go to the church. SA Brenton asked if that was her wish for those properties to go to Commissioner Hill and her grandson. became upset and stated, ‘I’m so confused now, but it looks like everything I have goes to Regina Hill.’”
The woman’s caregivers
According to the investigative report, Hill hired four people to care for the elderly woman, but none of them were affiliated with any health care agency.
The report claimed two of them were combative when agents tried to question them and called Hill to report they were there.
The report claimed one of them had a criminal history for cocaine and marijuana possession, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, theft probation violation, domestic violence battery and criminal traffic offenses. Another caregiver had a criminal history for driving under the influence and other criminal traffic offenses.
District 5
State investigators wrote they conducted surveillance on 3411 Lewis Court, where Hill was suspected to be living.
Agents determined Hill’s car was in the driveway, and they determined she was living at the location, which is located in Orlando City District 6, not District 5, which she was elected to represent.
The agents cited City of Orlando Code:
“If a City Commissioner ceases to be a bona fide resident of the district from which he was elected or the Mayor[1]Commissioner ceases to be a bona fide resident of the City, his office shall immediately become vacant, provided that the district residency requirement shall not apply to a City Commissioner who, for the duration of his term, ceases to be a resident of his district due to action of City Council which redesignates district boundaries pursuant to Section 4-1 of this chapter.”
Hill’s criminal trial is slated to begin in September.
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