Jennifer Garula-Mers, the former CEO of the East Polk Association of Realtors (EPCAR) in Auburndale, Florida, has been charged with grand theft for allegedly stealing more than $81,000 from the group, leaving it “on the ropes” and “all but broke,” according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
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Jennifer Garula-Mers
“Our investigation found that she made unauthorized raises and bonuses to herself, and non-business credit card charges that began within a few months after she was hired in 2020,” Judd said in a statement. “Jennifer Garula-Mers is a thief and stole tens of thousands of dollars from the association. I urge all nonprofit associations to have effective checks and balances in place.”
According to the Sheriff’s office, after being hired as EPCAR CEO in 2020, Garula-Mers began raising her own salary and issuing bonus checks to herself without authorization, for a total of $43,105.86 in unapproved increases and one-off deposits to her accounts.
She also adjusted the contribution rate to her retirement account, resulting in a net gain of $7,938.27.
In addition, the former CEO, who was terminated in August 2024, approved a variety of improper reimbursements and used her EPCAR credit card for “dining, shopping, personal grooming, household goods and orders on Amazon.”
All told, according to detectives, EPCAR suffered a loss of $81,453.92 through the former CEO’s fraudulent actions.
Garula-Mers is still shown as CEO on the association’s website.
EPCAR President Brenda Brooks shared the following statement with Inman:
The East Polk County Association of Realtors (EPCAR) can confirm that former CEO Jennifer Garula-Mers, whose employment with the Association ended in August 2024, was arrested following an investigation conducted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
In September 2024, EPCAR leadership identified financial irregularities and promptly referred the matter to law enforcement. We have fully cooperated throughout the investigation. As this is an active legal case, we are unable to comment on specific details.
Our Board acted swiftly and responsibly when concerns first arose, and we remain committed to transparency, integrity, and protecting the best interests of our members. We will continue to follow the legal process closely and provide updates when appropriate.
