Monday, Florida A&M athletic director Angela Suggs was arrested after she allegedly embezzled thousands of dollars from her former employer.
Authorities accused Suggs of using a corporate credit card for personal use to the tune of $24,000. Suggs, while CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation allegedly made cash withdrawals, wire transfers, personal purchases at casinos while on business trips.
Last fall an investigation was initiated and a subsequent audit uncovered Suggs’ alleged falsification of travel vouchers by filing the unauthorized charges as meals or claimed they were accidents. She also did not reimburse the Florida Sports Foundation for her expenses.
FULL PRESS RELEASE FROM FDLE:
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) announces the arrest of Angela Adams Suggs, 55, of Tallahassee, on one felony count each of grand theft and scheme to defraud, and four misdemeanor counts of false claims on travel vouchers. At the time of her arrest Suggs was the vice president and director of athletics for Florida A&M University (FAMU). She is the former president and CEO of the Florida Sports Foundation (FSF).
The investigation began In November 2024 after FDLE received a criminal referral from the Florida Department of Commerce’s Inspector General with an audit of Suggs’ FSF business credit card purchases and corresponding travel reimbursements. The FSF is a direct-support organization operating under the Florida Department of Commerce.
The investigation revealed that Suggs misused her FSF-issued credit card to make wire transfers and cash withdraws and personal purchases at casinos during business trips, totaling more than $24,000. She then falsified travel vouchers, coding the unauthorized charges as meals. When asked about the unauthorized charges, Suggs claimed some were for business meals and others were accidentally charged to the business card. She failed to fully repay FSF for her personal expenditures.
Suggs turned herself in today. She was booked into the Leon County Jail on a $13,500 bond. The Office of the State Attorney, Second Judicial Circuit is prosecuting the case.
FDLE’s investigation remains active.
Suggs turned herself in at the Leon County jail but, per the AP, was later released on bond. She is facing a multitude of charges, among them felony grand theft and felony scheme to defraud. Additionally, Suggs was charged with four counts of false claims on travel vouchers, misdemeanors in the state of Florida.
In a statement to WTXL, interim FAMU President
Timothy Beard said the following:
“Florida A&M University is aware of the allegations involving our athletics director, Angela Suggs, while she was working with a former employer. While the matter is unrelated to her duties as an employee at FAMU, we are monitoring the situation and will respond in the future as appropriate.”
Suggs , FAMU alum, was named Athletic Director last fall in what seemed like a home run hire at the time.
