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Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office
Mark Bellinger, 52, former tourism official in Okaloosa county, Florida, left a suicide note and disappeared on Thursday after allegations surfaced about misuse of tax funds and money from BP to the county after the 2010 oil spill.
Florida authorities have issued an arrest warrant and initiated a nationwide search for a county tourism official who threatened suicide and disappeared after he was alleged to have used public funds to buy a 44-foot yacht and a home with combined value of more than $1.4 million, according to a report on nwfdailynews.com.
A warrant obtained late Thursday by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Northwest Florida Mortgage Fraud Task Force calls for the arrest of Mark Bellinger, 52, the county’s tourist development council director, the report said.
Bellinger took on post in the immediate aftermath of the BP oil spill, and the nwfdailynews.com report said he was often praised for helping bolstering the industry in spite of the environmental disaster.
The warrant is related to allegations that Bellinger used money that came to the council from BP after the 2010 oil spill to buy a $747,000 home in Destin, Florida, the report said.
Bellinger reportedly left a suicide note and then disappeared Thursday, two days after resigning from his position under pressure for using money from a bed tax — earmarked for advertising — to buy a $710,000 yacht, an earlier report on nwfdailynews.com said.
The county launched a probe into that purchase that it described in a press release as "unorthodox" and "secretive."
In questioning by county commissioners earlier in the week, Bellinger said the yacht, a 44-foot, 2011 Marquis 420 SC, was used to promote tourism.
"Our first priority remains his personal safety, but we are conducting a criminal investigation," county Undersheriff Don Adams said Friday, speaking to nwfdailynews.com about the search and arrest warrant.
Bellinger's car, a 2011 four-door silver Subaru Legacy with Florida license tag 262 NFS, is missing, the Sheriff's Office said. His name and photograph would be circulated nationwide, Adams said.
"If he has an encounter with law enforcement … they’ll know he’s wanted," Adams told nwfdailynews.com.
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Leave a Comment:
The Tourism Chief cashed his frequent flier miles and went on "vacation". What's vacation?? Vacation is when you steal everyone's $hit, kill yourself, and don't come back.........
He was found dead of an OD in Pelham, AL.
You know what they say about government tax money: easy come, easy go. And easy to OD when you've got it.
I wonder about his wife, where did she "think" the money came from to purchase the new home and the yacht? Maybe she just thought BP was being overly generous or that possibly the county just had some "extra" cash to just toss his way.
No one has any internal audit anymore; lets see millions to county for clean up of beaches from oil spill, and they direct it to be used as advertising budget, crazy stuff.
I would bet he is healthier than I and enjoying life under an assumed Rich Man's name. Won't catch him for at least a month or more.
Find the yacht and you may find him...too late he is in Cuba opening a guided boat tour of the Caribbean Islands. Or in a crack house in downtown Miami.
In cases like this, given the alleged fraud and resignation, why are officials still concerned about his personal safety? Really?
Not that I want anyone to commit suicide but did this guy even have a conscience if he actually stole all of that money? Perhaps he inherited 700k that paid for the boat? Probably not.
Your government in action, corrupt at all levels. Ron Paul 2012, make a change!
Our government, how exactly is an appointed Florida man my government, unless you think the "tourist development council director" is an elected official and that residents of Texas vote in that election. Dumb.
Or were just using this forum as ad space ?
This guy isn't sportin that $hit eating grin because he set on a feather.
LOL
From the looks of his hair he already got the chair...
Buddy..... Why did you do that? You creep. BP reluctantly coughed up a lot of money to help, (Which they should have) but for you to steal it for your own gains makes me sick. This is one of the many things that make Florida look like a bunch or ignorant crooks. Shame on YOU!
@Brooke
"Looks like a bunch of ignorant crooks"??? Like this is anything new? Ever since old Jeb Bush got his way in this state, it's been heading down the sewer. We have a THIEF for Governor and Legislators that own Charter Schools that are taking $BILLIONS in taxpayer money from the public school system...These ain't choir boys! Maybe time for a RICO Act investigation? Wouldn't these Republicans freak if they had to disclose where their money came from???
colormepurple,
I also live in Florida. When Scott was elected, I was in shock. I don't what bothered me the most. that this known crook was elected, or that so many ignorant fools voted for him.
The thing is, I've NEVER met anyone who will admit to voting for him.
This crap happens all the time, how come nobody seems to notice when people with an annual salary of less than 100K, buy million dollar homes and yachts? And what about that haircut?
This man has left the building! He had some cash stash and now he is sitting on an island somewhere far from Florida enjoying himself a great deal! I agree with DEWEYDAN if he had tons of money he stole, I am sure he has plenty of it to be on the run....Good luck catching this creep!
No worry, he's catching a slab nap for eternity.
The man has been found dead. BP footed the bill for the cleanup of our beaches. The BP money given to the cities and counties was to re-build the business lost because of the spill. So advertising is an appropriate use of the money. But not the way he did it.
Do these people who do this seriously believe they won't get caught? They always seem to and then to suicide to avoid the shame of public humiliation for being stupid.
Ummmm, according to the story he hasn't be caught.
He was found dead in Pelham, Alabama. www.newsherald.com
Too bad, money that was meant for the cleanup of the oil spill disaster... its a joke... he "cleaned up" .. but no more. SO what happens now with the house and the yacht.....?
Conservatives will find a way to blame the Obama administration for this. Face it! People are greedy, and greedy people have caused the ecomomic problems of this country and countries all over the world. We are the only country that has a TV program that airs every day entitled "American Greed". Something not to be proud of!
No, they won't. If I remember correctly, it was the Obama Administration that secured the funds from BP. I believe it was called a "shake down" by certain other people, and they even apologized to BP!
Imagine that. Apologizing to BP because we insisted that they pay for and clean up their mess! I suppose it would have been "okay" with some folks if the taxpayers got stuck with the entire bill like we did with the Exxon spill!
As for this guy -- this is a damn shame. Greedy bastard.
Yeah, maybe Romney will claim he EARNED it for taking care of the tourists that are being poisoned by BP's oil.
Another Democratic Official stealing the people's money!
In Florida, think again.
@Ralph: Are you reading the same article that the rest of us are? "Democratic official"? Where does that come from? Oh, and P.S. take a look in your own backyard about stealing money.
Errrrrr Ralpheeee
Dems in Okaloosa County Government???LMFAO
I find it weird that these folks think they will never get caught. You make perhaps $100,000 but only a 750,000 home and an expensive yacht. Duhhhh
Geeze yet another Florida story.. Wat is going on there?? Iz Florida a Crap magnet.
http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2012/5/4/florida_tourism_offi.html
Found dead.
Gov. Rick "the alien" give him the job.
He learn how to steal from Marco Rubio and David Rivera
Guys like this don't suicide. They want to enjoy themselves.
Just another in a LONG line of thieving Florida Republicans. If only the rest of the Republican thieves in the Florida House, Senate and Governors Mansion would off themselves, this might be a much better state. Sadly, it won't happen.:-(
It will be interesting to see how much responsibility Gov. Scott will be willing to accept for this.
What did the "officials" think he would do? Wait patiently to be arrested and then pay the money back? He is gone, gone, gone.
Probably just taking a vacation.