TAMPA, Fla. — Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment charging two Tampa Bay men in connection with a sweeping fraud and money laundering scheme that allegedly siphoned more than $100 million from a Clearwater-based nonprofit that managed funds for individuals with disabilities and special needs.
Leo John Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Leo Witeck, 60, of Tampa, face multiple federal charges, including conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and other related offenses. Govoni also faces separate charges of bank fraud, an illegal monetary transaction, and making a false bankruptcy declaration.
The indictment alleges the fraud took place over a 16-year period, from June 2009 through May 2025, and ultimately led to the bankruptcy of the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), a nonprofit founded by Govoni in 2000. The organization managed special needs trusts for over 2,100 beneficiaries nationwide, handling approximately $200 million in assets as of early 2024.
According to court documents, Govoni and Witeck used the organization as a personal slush fund, misappropriating client funds to finance luxury spending, including real estate purchases, private jet travel, and investments in a brewery. The defendants are accused of hiding their theft through fraudulent account statements that misrepresented trust balances to families and beneficiaries.
In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy, revealing that more than $100 million in client funds had vanished. The fallout left vulnerable families and individuals who depended on those funds without essential financial support.
“This fraud is unfathomable,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Protecting the most vulnerable members of our society is a top priority, and this case will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Federal authorities from multiple agencies condemned the scale and cruelty of the alleged scheme.
“These subjects betrayed the trust of the community and bankrupted a lifeline for vulnerable families,” said FBI Assistant Director Jose A. Perez. “The FBI will not tolerate the exploitation of charitable missions for personal gain.”
IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco added, “Stealing funds intended to support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal.”
Govoni is also accused of bank fraud involving a $3 million mortgage refinance and laundering over $200,000 of the alleged proceeds to pay down a home equity line of credit. He is further charged with making false declarations during the CSNT bankruptcy proceedings.
The charges carry significant penalties: up to 30 years in prison for bank fraud, up to 20 years for each count of mail or wire fraud, 10 years for illegal monetary transactions, and five years for false bankruptcy declarations.
The investigation was led by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration’s Inspector General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Peresie and Michael Gordon, along with Justice Department trial attorney Lyndie Freeman.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
