JACKSONVILLE — Edward Malone was indicted on May 27, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. He faces two counts of wire fraud related to allegations of obtaining approximately $54,100 through fraudulent applications to the City of Jacksonville Emergency Rental Assistance Program.

The indictment alleges that Malone submitted roughly nine fraudulent landlord applications to the program between approximately April 2021 and October 2021. He allegedly submitted these applications directly and through his company, Rags II Riches Consulting Inc. The indictment further alleges Malone submitted nine fraudulent lease documents as part of this process.

Investigators state the fraudulent applications were submitted online from Jacksonville to a company in South Carolina that administered parts of the program. The indictment alleges that on each application, Malone certified his understanding that providing false or fraudulent information could lead to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. Funds were then sent from Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Malone's bank accounts in Jacksonville.

According to the indictment, the scheme resulted in approximately $54,100 in fraudulently obtained funds being deposited into Malone's accounts. Count One of the indictment alleges that on or about May 19, 2021, $14,400 was transmitted from Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina, to a Malone bank account ending in 5700 in Jacksonville. Count Two alleges that on or about September 7, 2021, $15,100 was transmitted from Bank of America in Charlotte, North Carolina, to the same account.

Malone owned 18 residential properties and seven commercial properties in Jacksonville, either directly or through Rags II Riches Consulting Inc. If convicted, Malone faces forfeiture of at least $54,100.

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program was created by the U.S. Department of Treasury to provide financial relief to renters affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. In Jacksonville, the City of Jacksonville administered the program, which required applicants to demonstrate that at least one household member was obligated to pay rent on a residential dwelling in Duval County. If approved, funds were sent directly to landlords as checks.