SOUTH REGION

The East Central Region is responsible for the enforcement of insurance related crimes committed in Brevard, Indian River, Lake, Martin, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Seminole St. Lucie and Volusia counties. To this end, the region has established two field offices: West Palm Beach and Orlando.

The West Palm Beach office is composed of three squads located at 3111 South Dixie Hwy, Suite 310, West Palm Beach, Florida. The Orlando Office is comprised of two squads located at 400 W. Robinson Street, Orlando, Florida.

East Central Region Commander
Captain Vance T. Akins

Captain Vance T. Akins started his law enforcement career with the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office in 1980.  He has over 29 years of law enforcement and investigative experience. Captain Akins’ law enforcement experience ranges from street level crimes such as narcotics, grand theft, homicide, internal investigations, insurance and white collar crimes. Captain Akins has served over half of his career as an investigative supervisor holding the ranks of Sergeant, Lt. and Criminal Investigations Bureau Chief.

Captain Akins has participated in legislative reform concerning workers’ compensation fraud and is a member of the Florida Workers’ Compensation Task Force. Captain. Akins has been stationed at the West Palm Beach Office field office for the past 13 years.

Captain Akins is a certified law enforcement instructor, teaching at the DFS Fraud Detective’s Academy. Captain Akins is a graduate of The University of Louisville, Ky, Southern Police Institute, CODC, and represents DFS on many public speaking engagements.

Captain Akins is located in the Division’s West Palm Beach Office and can be contacted at 3111 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Florida 33317. Telephone: (561) 837-5601. E-mail:  Vance.Akins@MyFloridaCFO.Com

Lieutenant Glen Hughes (Mortgage Fraud Unit)

Lt. John “Glen” Hughes, a resident of Palm Beach County since 1978, began his 24+ year law enforcement career in 1985 after graduating from the Florida State University, School of Criminology. Lt. Hughes was a criminal investigator for the Palm Beach County State Attorney until joining the Division in 1993. During his eight years at the State Attorney's Office, Lt. Hughes' many assignments included the investigation of Official Corruption and White Collar Crime cases working closely with prosecutors in the Major Crimes Unit preparing cases for trial.

Lt. Hughes is in his seventeenth year of service with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Fraud Division. Lt. Hughes was designated Lead Detective in 2000 and promoted to Lieutenant in June 2008. During his tenure with the Division Lt. Hughes has investigated numerous major cases, executed and supervised the execution of many search warrants and coordinated the seizure of volumes of documentary evidence. Lt. Hughes has worked closely with the Office of Statewide Prosecution and participated in several Statewide Grand Jury initiatives.

Lt. Hughes was the Division representative on CFO Alex Sink’s Safeguard Our Seniors (SOS) Task Force and is a media contact for the division who has appeared in local news articles, local and national television and in Kiplinger’s magazine.

Due to his expertise, background and success orchestrating complex investigations, Lt. Hughes’ current assignment is running the Division’s recently formed Mortgage Fraud Unit housed in the West Palm Beach Field Office. The Mortgage Fraud Unit’s main objective is to target organized groups that exploited mortgage lenders by falsifying or withholding information in their closing documents. The DFS Mortgage Fraud Unit is part of the FBI Mortgage Fraud Task Force and is presenting cases for prosecution in both Federal and State courts.

Lt. Hughes is a Certified Fraud Examiner and is an instructor at the DFS Fraud Detective’s Academy.

Lt. Hughes is located in the Division’s West Palm Beach Office and can be contacted at 3111 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Florida 33317. Telephone: (561) 837-5601. E-mail:  Glen.Hughes@MyFloridaCFO.Com

Lieutenant Evangelina Brooks

Evangelina Brooks began her law enforcement career in 2002 with the Vero Beach Police Department. She joined the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud in May 2006 and was assigned to the Miami Region PIP Squad. In 2007, she transferred as a detective to the West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Squad. In January 2009, she was promoted to Lieutenant of the newly formed West Palm Beach PIP Squad.

Lt. Evangelina Brooks attained her undergraduate degree from Bethune-Cookman College and her Master’s Degree from The University of Louisville. Lt. Brooks is active member of the DIF training section. She is also a FDLE/CJSTC certified instructor, specializing in the areas of high liability: Firearms, Defensive Tactics, ASP Baton, CPR/ First Aid and Vehicle Operations. Lt. Brooks is also an adjunct instructor at the Indian River State College.

Lt. Brooks is located in the Division’s West Palm Beach Office and can be contacted at 3111 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Florida 33317. Telephone: (561) 837-5601. E-mail:  Evangelina.Brooks@MyFloridaCFO.Com

Lieutenant Gregory Whipple

Lt. Whipple, who has been with the agency since 1999, heads up the General Fraud Squad in West Palm Beach, Florida and holds a Bachelors Degree in Business. Lieutenant Whipple formerly was an officer/plain cloths investigator with the Florida Marine Patrol, currently known as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, from 1990 to 1999. Florida Marine Patrol Enforcement included State and Federal violations involving safety equipment, fisheries and drug trafficking etc.

During his tenure with the Division of Insurance Fraud, Lt. Whipple has worked as a Detective on an Insolvency Squad and a Workers' Compensation Squad in the South Florida area. His investigative knowledge includes, but is not limited to the following areas: Insurance Agent Fraud, Organized Scheme to Defraud and Workers' Compensation Fraud.

Lt. Whipple transferred to Tallahassee Headquarters in 2007, where he was assigned to the training unit as a Radio Tech/ Detective responsible for maintaining the agencies sworn members certification standards. He was promoted to Lieutenant in May 2008, and in August 2009, he left the training unit and was assigned as the Lieutenant for the Workers' Compensation Squad in West Palm Beach, Florida. As of 2010, Lt. Whipple has transferred to the General Fraud Squad in West Palm Beach and oversees a variety of insurance fraud investigations.

Lt. Whipple is currently in his twentieth year in sworn active service for the State of Florida.

Lt. Whipple is located in the Division’s West Palm Beach Office and can be contacted at 3111 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, Florida 33317. Telephone: (561) 837-5601. E-mail:  Gregory.Whipple@MyFloridaCFO.Com

Lieutenant Kurt Harmon

Kurt Harmon was born in New York, but has lived in Florida for the last 30 years. He grew up on the west coast of Florida and eventually moved to Orlando to attend the University of Central Florida. While attending the University of Central Florida, Lt Harmon was employed by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in the communications section. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice in 1998, he obtained his State of Florida Law Enforcement Certification and continued working at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff. During his tenure as a Deputy Sheriff, he received agency wide awards and recognition for his outstanding work and dedication. Lt Harmon was a Field Training Officer and promoted to Deputy First Class.

In 2003, Lt Harmon continued his career as a Detective with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Insurance Fraud. While learning the field of insurance fraud, Lt Harmon excelled in the Workers’ Compensation Squad and made numerous arrests. He was given the Outstanding Performance Award by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for two consecutive years for his high performance level. Lt Harmon was active on the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force and participated in sub-committees dedicated to curtailing premium fraud in the construction industry. In 2006, the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force recognized him for his outstanding service and performance.

On June 1, 2008, Lt Harmon was promoted to his current position as a Lieutenant of the Orlando Field Office. While holding the rank of Lieutenant, Lt. Harmon successfully completed the Command Officers Development Course at The Southern Police Institute and became a Certified Fraud Examiner under the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Lt. Harmon is located in the Division’s Orlando Office and can be contacted at 400 W. Robinson Street, Orlando, Florida 32801. Telephone: (407) 835-4402. E-mail:  Kurt.Harmon@MyFloridaCFO.Com

Lieutenant Jewel W. Cameron

Lt. Cameron was born in Palatka, Florida and raised in Miami, Florida. During her years residing in Miami, she attended Miami Dade Community College and received an Associate in Arts Degree in Business Administration in 1988. After receiving her degree, she began working for a private company, Factual Business Information, who did criminal background checks for companies hiring new employees for two years. At which time, she continued her education at Florida International University and received her Bachelor’s in Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Public Administration in 1994, while employed with the North Miami Police Department in the records division.

In March of 1996, Lt. Cameron was hired by the Miami Dade Public Schools Police Department as a School Resource Officer and entered into the police academy where she obtained her State of Florida Law Enforcement Certification. Lt. Cameron continued her employment with the Miami Dade Public Schools Police Department for five years. In February of 200l, Lt. Cameron was hired by the Division of Insurance Fraud as an Investigator in the Miami Field Office under the supervision of Director John Askins and Captain Steve Smith and learned all aspects of insurance fraud from premium fraud by insurance agents, workers compensation, and PIP fraud. In September of 2006, she received an award from NICB for her outstanding accomplishments investigating PIP cases.

In November of 2006, Lt. Cameron moved to Rockledge, Florida and began working in the Orlando Field Office on the General Fraud Squad, and was promoted to her current position as a Lieutenant in October of 2008 directing the activities of the Detectives on the PIP squad. In 2009, Lt. Cameron continued her career development by attending the Command Officers Development Course and received a certificate from the Southern Police Institute, University of Louisville, KY. Also in 2009, Lt. Cameron obtained a certificate as a Certified Fraud Examiner from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Lt. Cameron is located in the Division’s Orlando Office and can be contacted at 400 W. Robinson Street, Orlando, Florida 32801. Telephone: (407) 835-4402. E-mail:  Jewel.Cameron@MyFloridaCFO.Com