Federal Indictment Reveals South Georgia Special Needs Victims Among Those Defrauded in $100 Million Charity Scheme

By Carol A. Gasser Moore | 

FLORIDA / Georgia — In one of the largest nonprofit fraud cases in U.S. history, federal prosecutors announced Monday that the co-founder and an accountant of a Florida-based nonprofit organization have been indicted for allegedly stealing more than $100 million meant for individuals with disabilities and special needs — including residents of South Georgia.

The Department of Justice revealed that the Center for Special Needs Trust Administration (CSNT), once one of the nation’s largest trust administrators for disabled individuals, operated a years-long scheme that drained funds from over 2,100 client accounts nationwide. Court documents confirm that Georgia residents — including clients across rural and underserved regions of the state — were among those whose trust balances were looted, jeopardizing their access to vital care and services.

“For over 15 years, the defendants conspired to use the funds of special needs clients as a personal piggy bank,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Stealing $100 million meant for the most vulnerable members of our society to enrich themselves.”

The indictment charges Leo John Govoni, 67, of Clearwater, and John Leo Witeck, 60, of Tampa, with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering. Govoni is additionally charged with bank fraud and submitting false bankruptcy declarations.

According to prosecutors, CSNT marketed itself as a trusted fiduciary for managing settlements and disability-related funds. The nonprofit expanded its reach to almost every U.S. state — including Georgia — offering to hold and administer funds for individuals who required special needs trusts to maintain access to programs like Medicaid and SSI. Many of these beneficiaries resided in smaller communities and rural areas, where CSNT often partnered with attorneys or public guardians.

In February 2024, CSNT filed for bankruptcy and revealed that over $100 million in client-beneficiary funds were missing. Fraud investigators say the organization’s leadership used those funds to bankroll lavish lifestyles: luxury travel, real estate, personal debts, even a private brewery.

In South Georgia, families and caregivers who depended on CSNT to safeguard financial futures for disabled loved ones now face uncertainty, anger — and betrayal.

“Rural communities don’t have the luxury of options when it comes to special needs services,” said a legal advocate based in Valdosta who worked with families impacted by the fraud. “When a nonprofit like CSNT goes rogue, it can crush trust, not just bank accounts.”

Federal Message to the Greedy: “Your Time Will Come”

Beyond the charges, officials emphasized that this case sends a powerful deterrent message.

“The scale and audacity of the fraud in this case are deeply troubling,” said Guy Ficco, head of IRS Criminal Investigations. “Stealing funds intended to protect and support people with special needs is as cruel as it is criminal.”

U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida echoed the sentiment: “The fraud alleged in this nationwide scheme is unfathomable… these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

The FBI, IRS, Department of Health and Human Services, and Social Security Administration all contributed to the multi-agency investigation. Officials have not yet released a full list of state-by-state victim counts but confirmed that beneficiaries from Georgia are among those affected.

If convicted, the defendants face decades in federal prison. As the case progresses, families in South Georgia and across the country wait for justice — and for the promise that such brazen abuse of the vulnerable will no longer go unchecked.