Cornelius Sentell Osborne Arrested for Unlicensed Contracting and Grand Theft

Press Release

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Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia's Crackdown on Fraud Continues to Yield Results, Announces Latest Arrest

4/7/2026 Click HERE or the photo above to download the video.

Video courtesy of the Office of Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia. To watch video, click here or above

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia announced the arrest of Cornelius Sentell Osborne, who is accused of acting as an unlicensed contractor and pocketing $174,000 from the victim of a house fire. CFO Blaise Ingoglia’s crackdown on fraud is delivering results, bringing criminals to justice and protecting Florida’s most vulnerable.

Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia said, “This case is a direct result of my office’s relentless work to root out fraud in our state and hold bad actors accountable. We are cracking down on this kind of criminal activity, especially when it targets those in vulnerable situations. If you think you can get away with this sort of behavior, think again. My office is working tirelessly to bring these fraudsters to justice.”

Cornelius Sentell Osborne was arrested in Plantation, Florida, on March 19, 2026, by Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigations Division officers. An investigation by DFS-CID agents found Osborne presented himself as a general contractor and agreed to do restoration work on a fire-damaged home in Hollywood, Florida. After collecting $174,000 from the victim, Osborne allegedly abandoned the project after several months, leaving the victim’s house uninhabitable.

Osborne was on probation at the time of his arrest for willfully fleeing a law enforcement officer in Brevard County. He faces up to 30 years in prison having been charged with one count of Grand Theft and one count of acting as an unlicensed contractor. ###

About the CFO
Florida
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Blaise Ingoglia serves as
the state’s top financial watchdog, a member of the Florida Cabinet, and the
head of the Florida Department of Financial Services. As CFO, he oversees
billions of dollars in state funds and is committed to protecting taxpayer
dollars, strengthening Florida’s fiscal health, and delivering essential
services that support the state’s excellent economy. As State Fire Marshal, CFO
Ingoglia also works every day to support Florida’s first responders as they
risk their lives to serve and protect communities across the state.

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