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State Fines GLBT Center After Investigation Into Fundraising Tied to Pulse Shooting

The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. Photo: GLBT Community Center of Central Florida.
The GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. Photo: GLBT Community Center of Central Florida.

The state has levied a $1,000 fine against the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida after an investigation into claims that staff there had mishandled money raised from the Pulse nightclub shooting.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services found that $2,137 raised from an event to help the family of Pulse shooting victim Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado never made it to the family.

“Unfortunately those funds came in and they were not earmarked properly as restricted funds for particular use," said Center board president Jeffrey Buak.

"They were just kind of put into our general account. And when the state asked us about it, we investigated and we made sure that family got those monies right away.”

The investigation also found that the Center neglected to go through all the necessary steps to update its registration status as a nonprofit; and it declined to display its status when soliciting donations to help victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting.

Buak said the findings were the result of an error and lack of staff training.

The investigation began after volunteers filed complaints from volunteers.

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services levied the fine based on a matrix; depending on the finding, an organization can be reprimanded with a written complaint or levied thousands of dollars.