Attorney General Moody's Week In Review

This week, I urged the Drug Enforcement Administration to follow Florida’s lead and place xylazine, also known as tranq, on the federal Schedule I list of banned substances.

Xylazine, like fentanyl, is dangerous on its own. It can also be mixed with other drugs enhancing its lethality. In fact, the DEA recently warned about the increase in the amount of xylazine being found mixed with illicit fentanyl.

In Florida, we already named xylazine a Schedule I substance due to its devastating effects on humans. Users of the drug may develop wounds at the point of injection, including necrosis—the rotting of human tissue which can lead to amputation. According to a recent news report, at least 236 Floridians died in 2021 with xylazine in their systems.

I first issued a warning about this substance heading into the spring break season, so Floridians and travelers here on vacation can be aware of the dangers of using illicit drugs. I even released a follow-up warning last week after the DEA issued a Public Safety Alert detailing a spike in seizures of tranq mixed with fentanyl.

I’m urging the DEA to follow our lead and ban this substance. This drug is not an opioid, so it doesn’t respond to opioid reversal agents like Narcan—making the treatment less effective in reversing an overdose in situations involving both drugs.

That is why it is so important that the DEA take action on a nationwide scale. To read our letter to the DEA, click here.

Please never use illicit drugs. These substances could contain xylazine, fentanyl or both. Using just one time could kill.

Stay safe, Florida.
Ashley Moody
Protecting Floridians
Attorney General Moody Demands Biden Halt Department of Education Efforts to Rescind Protection for Student Religious Groups


Attorney General Ashley Moody is pushing back against the Biden administration attempting to rescind protections for student religious groups. Attorney General Moody, along with 21 other state attorneys general, sent a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Education, demanding DOE retain a provision that compels public universities to comply with the First Amendment or lose grant funding. The Biden administration is threatening to rescind this provision originally put in place to protect religious groups on campuses nationwide.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Public universities should not be able to pick and choose who has First Amendment protection under our U.S. Constitution. These fundamental rights must be vigorously defended. We demand the Biden administration halt efforts by the U.S. Department of Education to remove protections put in place to ensure student religious groups can practice their faith at our public universities.” More.


Mother-Son Duo Arrested for Defrauding Medicaid Out of More Than $300,000 by Providing Patient Kickbacks to Attend Rehab Sessions


Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit announced the arrest of two Miami-Dade County healthcare workers for paying illegal kickbacks to Medicaid recipients. According to an investigation by MFCU, a mother-son duo, Gladys Aracely Gomez and Edward Exequiel Garcia-Gomez, paid illegal kickbacks to patients to receive psychosocial rehabilitation services to defraud the state Medicaid program of more than $300,000.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This mother-son duo used a cunning kickback scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from a taxpayer-funded health care program. My investigators uncovered this massive Medicaid fraud and will help ensure this criminal team faces justice for exploiting taxpayers.” More.


Group Home Manager Arrested for More than $20,000 Medicaid Fraud


TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit today announced the arrest of a Miami-Dade County healthcare worker for billing Medicaid for services never provided. According to the investigation, Ladrica Denise Gibbs falsely claimed to have provided companion services to Medicaid recipients, causing a loss to the state Medicaid program of more than $20,000.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “This defendant worked as a manager of a group home and claimed to also provide companion services for Medicaid recipients. She falsely filled out service reports, causing the taxpayer-funded program to lose more than $20,000. My Medicaid fraud investigators uncovered this scheme and now the defendant will face justice.” More.


Twenty-First Statewide Grand Jury Releases Shocking Report Uncovering Human Trafficking, Missing Children and Criminal Acts Involving Thousands of Immigrant Children

Attorney General Ashley Moody highlighted the release of the Third Presentment of the Twenty-First Statewide Grand Jury Regarding Unaccompanied Alien Children. The presentment outlines horrible atrocities inflicted on immigrant children in Florida and elsewhere who are under the authority of the Biden administration and nonprofit organizations receiving taxpayer money. Allegations from the presentment include the federal government losing track of more than 20,000 children, no background checks on the minors’ sponsors, human trafficking and child abuse.

Last June, after Biden’s policies caused an unprecedented immigration crisis compromising the safety of Americans and immigrants, Gov. Ron DeSantis filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to identify and investigate persons and international human-smuggling networks that move illegal immigrants, particularly children, across the Southwest Border into Florida and other states. The court approved the petition. Attorney General Moody’s Statewide Prosecutor serves as legal advisor to the jury.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “I want to thank Gov. DeSantis for standing up for children and calling for an investigation into the Biden administration’s abject failure to protect unaccompanied minors in dangerous situations. As a mother, I am outraged at how the Biden administration and others in authority have encouraged this nightmare through policy and are neglecting hundreds of thousands of children, subjecting them to abuse and sexual assault even after they cross the border. The federal government is knowingly aiding and abetting trafficking organizations and allowing horrific harm to happen to these children. I am calling upon Congress to investigate and consider federal law to stop these misguided programs.” More.


Attorney General Moody Takes Action Against Antifa and Jane’s Revenge Members Vandalizing Florida Crisis Pregnancy Centers



Attorney General Ashley Moody is taking legal action against Antifa and Jane’s Revenge criminal activists who vandalized Florida crisis pregnancy centers. In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s leaked decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, pro-abortion extremists from these criminal organizations sought to silence and intimidate crisis pregnancy centers’ workers and clients nationwide by vandalizing or even setting fire to their buildings. Caleb Hunter Freestone and Amber Marie Smith-Stewart are members of these groups and participated in at least three attacks against crisis pregnancy centers in Florida. Through the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, Attorney General Moody is asking a federal court to assess damages and fines against the defendants of $170,000 each.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Antifa and Jane’s Revenge are criminal organizations and must answer for their crimes in Florida. I am taking action to hold their members accountable for attempting to intimidate and threaten law-abiding citizens in our state.” More.


VIDEO CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General Moody Urges Floridians to Safeguard Data on World Backup Day


It is World Backup Day, and Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging Floridians to take steps to safeguard personal data. Approximately 21% of people never back up information. Floridians who fail to back up data regularly can fall victim to accidental deletion, cyberattacks or system crashes.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Backing up your data is one of the most critical steps you can take to protect information from loss or damage. World Backup Day serves as an important reminder to take proactive measures to keep data secure. I urge Floridians to use this opportunity to review and update backup strategies.” More.