SEC Whistleblower Lawyer Blog
A whistleblower complaint was filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, which accuses the nonprofit organization Shake-A-Leg Miami of tax law violations, Florida law and Fair Labor Standards violations, and county ordinance violations.
The complaint was filed by Jason Krieger, who was employed as the chief operating officer of Shake-A-Leg Miami starting in January, 2020.
Whistleblower attorney Scott Silver was interviewed by Law.com/Daily Business Review, and emphasized the need for quick action if the whistleblower’s allegations are true:
“Immediately, begin an investigation, identify wrongdoers, seek the return of the money that was improperly taken. And ultimately, give the community the confidence that the foundation itself doesn’t have the problem and clean up the wrongdoing,” Scott said.
Shake-A-Leg Miami Alleged Violations
Shake-A-Leg Miami was co-founded by Harry Hogan over 30 years ago and works with the City of Miami to assist veterans with disabilities and disabled children participate in water sports on Biscayne Bay.
Krieger, the whistleblower, is seeking over $100,000 in damages and his complaint makes many allegations against the charity, including:
- Misappropriation of donor funds
- Use of the organization’s assets to give inappropriate gifts to the CEO’s friends
- Failure to follow accounting practices required of a nonprofit
Shake-A-Leg is also alleged to have violated safety and fire codes, including by failing to replace dangerous temporary docks installed after Hurricane Irma. Also, Krieger’s complaint states that most of the organization’s full-time employees did not go through the background checks required by law.
Krieger claims that he brought his claims to Hogan, who prevented him from accessing financial information and asked the board to hold a vote to fire him.
According to the complaint, some board members said Krieger’s claims were legitimate and Hogan was not doing a good job of managing the organization. Fearing lawsuits related to the charity’s wrongdoing, seven board members resigned, according to the complaint. Krieger was fired.
Speak With A Florida Whistleblower Attorney
Under Florida law, an employee may not be discharged (or discriminated against) for disclosing or threatening to disclose to an appropriate governmental agency a practice of the employer that is in violation of a law or regulation. An employee may not be discharged (or discriminated against) in retaliation for participation in an investigation or for refusing to participate in a violation of Fla. Stat. § 448.102.
Our experienced whistleblower attorneys can assist you if you have information regarding nonprofit fraud, securities or investment fraud, or other types of illegal conduct that could lead to a whistleblower complaint. Whistleblowers may be eligible for a financial award. Our attorneys have represented many securities insiders for wrongful termination, discrimination, and sexual harassment. Wall Street and financial institutions around the country have been the subject of multiple claims of unfair work practices. Our attorneys can work with you to stop abuse, report misconduct and get you the compensation you deserve.
Contact us at (800) 975-4345 or through our online form for a no-cost consultation with a whistleblower attorney. We are ready to investigate your claim and determine actions that help you meet your goals.