ORLANDO, Fla. – A former consultant for the Seminole County Tax Collector’s Office pleaded not guilty to fraud-related charges Thursday.
Michael Shirley was hired by former Seminole County Tax Collector Joel Greenberg on the same day Greenberg was sworn into office in January 2017, records show.
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Federal prosecutors claim Shirley submitted inflated invoices to the agency, earning more than $460,000 while under contract.
Shirley is also accused of bribing an unnamed government official believed to be Greenberg.
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“I pleaded not guilty,” Shirley told News 6 following a brief arraignment hearing at the federal courthouse in Orlando. “I really can’t answer any questions past that. We have to let the process play out, and there’s a respect level for that.”
Shirley faces 1 count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and 4 counts of honest services fraud.
The indictment states that Shirley is the owner of a company, Praetorian Integrated Services, which was hired in January 2017 by a “local governmental agency of Seminole County.”
The indictment does not say which government agency; however, a consulting services agreement dated Jan. 3, 2017, shows Greenberg hired Praetorian as a “consultant” with a fee of $12,500 per month. Shirley signed that contract for Praetorian while Greenberg signed on behalf of the tax collector’s office.
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Shirley, who now lives in Texas, was arrested on Aug. 31 after a Florida grand jury indicted him on fraud charges. He is currently free from custody while awaiting trial.
Greenberg pleaded guilty last year to six federal charges including child sex trafficking and aggravated identity theft.
As part of a plea deal, Greenberg agreed to cooperate with federal authorities on other, undisclosed criminal investigations.
Greenberg, who faces a mandatory minimum of 12 years in prison, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 1.