Abandoned and damaged boats linger in Florida’s waterways, costing the state roughly $6 million-$7 million a year to remove — and frustrated boaters and those who fish say the cleanup process moves far too slowly.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says detectives are now actively investigating a case involving a woman who says she was followed through a River City Marketplace HomeGoods by a man who was sexually gratifying himself while watching her.
After receiving complaints from residents about broken windows, apartment doors left wide open and concerns about squatters, the News4JAX I-TEAM found that an apartment complex near Westside High School is tied to a landlord with a history of code enforcement complaints and properties facing foreclosure.
A Jacksonville woman is facing multiple criminal charges after investigators say she spent years posing as a landlord and collecting money from unsuspecting renters for homes she had no authority to lease.
Three years after the Jacksonville Housing Authority bought the troubled Franklin Arms apartments with plans to renovate them, the agency is abandoning that strategy and starting over.
A Jacksonville roofing company once known for giving away free roofs on social media is now under investigation by the State Bureau of Insurance Fraud, as customers, employees and subcontractors say they are owed a combined total of nearly $1 million.
More than 24,000 Duval County homeowners who appear to potentially qualify for Florida’s homestead exemption have not filed for the tax-saving benefit, according to a News4JAX I-TEAM analysis.
Residents at a Westside Jacksonville apartment complex said they were using the bathroom in buckets last year. Their water had been shut off — not because they hadn’t paid, but because JEA said their landlord didn’t.
Dozens of tenants at a Callahan apartment complex are scrambling to find new housing after Nassau County code enforcement notice advised residents to vacate the property due to multiple safety and occupancy violations.
Disturbing new details are emerging in the case of a Jacksonville man accused of sexually assaulting multiple women at his apartment, including a warning distributed to residents before his arrest.
The News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained text messages exchanged in January 2025 between JEA CEO Vickie Cavey and the city-owned utility’s former chief of staff, Kurt Wilson, as multiple investigations into JEA continue and subpoenas target records tied to city officials, a canceled land deal and a lobbying contract.
Tenants at two Westside apartment complexes say they were caught off guard after being served foreclosure lawsuit paperwork, leaving many fearful they could lose their homes and frustrated by what they describe as little communication from management.
A Clay County woman says she is still searching for answers after being charged nearly $900 by the Clay County Utility Authority during a single billing cycle.
Two-year-old Lucia Ayala died on March 7 as she, her mother and an older sibling were sitting inside the family’s parked Hyundai Palisade as their father shopped inside a store in Akron, Ohio. According to Akron police, the little girl was pinned by a 3rd row seat of the SUV when it closed on her, trapping her between the seat back and the seat. The girl’s mother can be heard frantically trying to free her as witnesses called 911 for help.
After months of warnings from the News4JAX I-TEAM about risky “subject-to” mortgage deals, a Bay County homeowner has successfully reversed one in court — a rare outcome that attorneys say could offer a path forward for others in similar situations.
Fraud is broad and is a growing problem across all of Northeast Florida, from romance scams to fake bank alerts. We got important advice from law enforcement to help you protect yourself.
Dr. Ludie Bond is with Florida Forestry Services and joins us via Zoom to discuss the growing wildfires in Northeast Florida.
The News4JAX I-TEAM has uncovered new details about an anonymous mass text message campaign targeting two prominent Jacksonville leaders.
A Jacksonville real estate broker who is accused of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of nearly $6 million now faces federal charges of wire fraud, related to loans from the COVID-19 era Paycheck Protection Program.
An anonymous mass text message campaign targeting prominent Jacksonville leaders has expanded, with the president of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce now among those singled out.
The News4JAX I-TEAM is investigating who is behind a mysterious anonymous text message sent to hundreds, if not thousands, of people across North Florida regarding JEA.
A Northeast Florida gift card company and its owner have been permanently banned from doing business in Florida. The decision, which was sparked by dozens of consumer complaints, was handed down against Gift Card Deal Marketplace Inc., which operated as giftcarddeal.com, and its owner, after a judge found the company was cheating customers.
As part of the sweeping Florida Farm Bill he signed on Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a provision that includes new accountability measures for state contractors.
In the station’s ongoing “Justice 4 All” series, we’re looking at the question: What are your rights under Florida law if your landlord won’t address serious issues?
As the News4JAX I-TEAM continues investigating risky “subject-to” real estate deals, a new group says they’re also facing major financial losses: private money lenders who helped fund the transactions.
A Jacksonville nonprofit that has helped people recover from drug and alcohol addiction for nearly six decades is now facing costly safety upgrades after a recent fire inspection revealed the residential portion of the property had never been inspected by fire officials.
The Jacksonville Office of Inspector General said Wednesday it found reason to believe the procurement process for a Jacksonville Transportation Authority mural project was not secure but closed a preliminary review without launching a full investigation.
A Jacksonville man has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against the former owners of Serenata Beach Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, alleging workers were required to perform duties “off the clock” and were not paid minimum wage for all hours worked.
More than 50 people from 12 different animal advocacy organizations and shelters in Florida have signed a 197-page complaint, requesting the state launch a criminal investigation into the Union County Animal Control office.
Macario Pablo-Reyes, 49, has been held for weeks at the Baker County Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, sometimes referred to as the “Deportation Depot.”
Jacksonville has spent $4.2 million in taxpayer money over the past three and a half years maintaining properties that records show are not being cared for by their owners. That’s the figure uncovered by the News4JAX I-TEAM, which reviewed a list of properties where the city says it has had to hire companies to clean up neglected sites.
The News4JAX I-TEAM has been warning homeowners about “subject-to” mortgage deals. These are legal but risky transactions that can leave sellers financially responsible even after signing over their homes.
Just weeks after the News4JAX I-TEAM exposed dangerous living conditions at a Westside apartment complex — including a massive sinkhole and residents going days without running water — the property has changed hands through a foreclosure.
A young couple thought they had found their dream home in Jacksonville, but they soon found themselves in a rental scam nightmare when they learned a week after they moved into the house that the Facebook Marketplace listing was fake.
Some of his tenants call him a slumlord, complaining of trash piling up and properties not being safely maintained, but a landlord’s empire in Jacksonville may be crumbling.
From a botched refrigerator installation to complaints filed against a landlord for awful living conditions. Here are the top 10 I-Team and Addressing Affordability stories of 2025.
The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into getting answers after residents at a Northside apartment complex reported weeks of overflowing trash.
It’s almost Christmas, and residents of Grassy Pond Apartments on California Avenue are still dealing with a bit of a mess.
A Jacksonville family says they are spending the holidays in a home ripped apart after discovering that a roof installed through their insurance company years ago was allegedly never done correctly.
Resident complaints and unpaid fines have continued to pile up at a troubled apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Westside despite the complex getting new property management in October, according to recent data provided by the City of Jacksonville.
Chase Bank says it will reimburse a St. Augustine couple who lost $42,000 in a sophisticated impersonation scam, following new public records obtained by the News4JAX I-TEAM, including audio recordings of an imposter posing as the couple on the phone with the bank.
A Jacksonville woman said she was terrified this summer when two officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office overstepped their authority and tried to illegally evict her.
A St. Augustine couple, Tom and Ann Hill, lost $42,000 in a sophisticated impersonation scam despite following their bank's guidance. The scam began with a text message that led to a call from a scammer posing as a Chase representative, resulting in unauthorized wire transfers. Despite notifying the bank and a fraud alert being placed on their account, the funds were transferred using a spoofed phone number and a one-time passcode. Chase denied the Hills' claim, stating the transfers were authorized, while a detective highlighted the bank's failure to prevent the fraudulent transactions.
A growing number of Florida homeowners say their mortgage payments jumped by hundreds, even more than a thousand dollars, within their first year of owning a new construction home, and many believe they were never warned it could happen.
The News4JAX I-TEAM has been investigating ongoing problems at Arbor Oaks Apartments on the west side since September, after a resident reported going days without running water.
The new property manager for at least two troubled apartment complexes on Jacksonville’s Westside told News4JAX it is committed to addressing resident issues and pledged to be more transparent and accountable.
For weeks, the News4JAX I-TEAM has been reporting on ongoing problems at housing owned and linked to Peoples Choice Apartments, where residents have said they face maintenance issues and deteriorating conditions.
An update to an I-Team investigation reveals that the couple accused of mishandling pet remains at a Kingsland crematory now face 40 additional charges. The new charges come nearly three and a half weeks after their initial arrest.
More complaints are flooding the News4JAX I-TEAM about one of Jacksonville’s largest landlords, People’s Choice Apartments, run by real estate investor and podcast host Jarek Tadla.
Tenants at several Jacksonville apartment complexes say they’re living in dangerous, deteriorating conditions while paying rising rents to one of the city’s largest landlords.
JEA said it is working on a formal policy to address water service disconnections after the News4JAX I-TEAM reported last week that residents of a Westside apartment complex had their water shut off for days due to the owner’s unpaid bills.
Residents of the Arbor Oaks apartment complex on Jacksonville’s Westside continue to face challenges despite water service being restored last week following News4JAX’s reporting.
Arbor Oaks on Jammes Road, the troubled Westside apartment complex the News4JAX I-TEAM reported last week, was previously owned by Jarek Tadla, a Polish-born real estate investor who, according to the JAX Rental Housing project at the University of North Florida, has companies that own more apartment complexes in Jacksonville than anyone else.
The News4Jax I-Team continued to try and find answers for residents of a Westside apartment complex on Friday, after people living at Arbor Oaks told us they can’t get a hold of anyone to address ongoing issues.
The former manager of an Atlantic Beach cemetery, who was accused of ripping off dozens of families who called the I-TEAM for help in 2016, was arrested again on Thursday and accused in a similar case.
Two days after residents of a Westside apartment complex had their water restored following days without service, the News4JAX I-TEAM is looking into the owner of the property, who, JEA confirmed, has now paid the thousands of dollars that were owed.
Residents of a Westside apartment complex, who just had their water restored after days without service, said this is not the only issue that they have to deal with while living in this property.
Residents of a Westside apartment complex will finally have their water restored on Tuesday evening after going days without running water due to the owner’s unpaid bills, according to JEA.
The owner and sales manager of a Jacksonville exotic car dealership were arrested on Wednesday and accused of fraud-related charges, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office inmate portal.
From Jaguars tickets to concert seats and parking passes, the News4JAX I-TEAM obtained a list released by the City of Jacksonville with detailed information regarding its free ticket distribution, including the names of those who requested tickets, how many they received and the events they attended.
A recently filed lawsuit by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier claims that a Jacksonville-based company engaged in deceptive and unfair business practices related to the sale of hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, and swim spas.
The gangway that collapsed during the Fourth of July fireworks show in Fernandina Beach was relocated in 2018 after Hurricane Matthew severely damaged it, records show.
A Nassau County sergeant, who is one of six deputies who were recently under investigation, had been previously suspended for making racially insensitive remarks, according to the internal investigation report.
Organizers for the As If! 90s Fest in St. Augustine announced on Wednesday night they would postpone the event for the third time.
A disabled Navy veteran battling terminal cancer says a Jacksonville concrete company took nearly $3,000 from him and his wife, then disappeared without doing any work or issuing a refund.
A week after a bill sparked by controversy at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts passed unanimously in the Senate, the school confirmed yet another employee has been removed over reports of “inappropriate conduct.”
A Jacksonville woman says she’s been living out of suitcases and sleeping on couches for months, all while her fire-damaged townhome sits unfinished. Now, the City of Jacksonville has issued a stop work order, citing improper permits and licensing by the contractor hired to restore her home.
The attorney for the family of an inmate who was critically injured in an unspecified incident involving nine Duval County jail officers said on Wednesday that the man remained hospitalized and on a ventilator.
The attorney for the family of an inmate who was critically injured in an unspecified incident involving nine Duval County jail officers said on Wednesday that the man remained hospitalized and on a ventilator.
The attorney for the family of an inmate who was critically injured in an unspecified incident involving nine Duval County jail officers said on Wednesday that the man remained hospitalized and on a ventilator.
A century-old building on North Main Street was already slated for demolition before it partially collapsed on Monday, according to the property owners. Clean-up and demolition continued Wednesday as crews worked to remove the rubble that is now all that remains of the former Solomon’s Auction House.
The property owners of a century-old building on North Main Street said high winds may have played a role in its partial collapse on Monday evening.
An arrest warrant for ASAP Towing and Storage President Vince Serrano shows investigators believe he defrauded Floridians of nearly $194,000 by underreporting the sales prices of unclaimed vehicles while overinflating ASAP’s costs to tow, store, and sell them.
An arrest warrant for ASAP Towing and Storage President Vince Serrano shows investigators believe he defrauded Floridians of nearly $194,000 by underreporting the sales prices of unclaimed vehicles while overinflating ASAP’s costs to tow, store, and sell them.
The former Serenata Beach Club has a new name, new owners, and new look. The private club is now the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club.
Last week, locals voiced concerns over missing headstones after a known cemetery from the 1800s was cleared. The land is also the site of the “The Battle of Braddocks Farm.”
Jacksonville real estate broker Cedric Griffin is now behind bars after years on the run, facing accusations of orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of nearly $6 million.
Whether you came knocking at our door or we came knocking at someone else’s, the News4JAX I-Team was on top of uncovering answers in Northeast Florida in 2024.
Investigators have identified persons of interest in the suspicious death of Melinda Holder, who disappeared in 1989.
Mayor Donna Deegan said funding is a key issue in the push to help people who are experiencing homelessness.
An arrest warrant for ASAP Towing and Storage President Vince Serrano shows investigators believe he defrauded Floridians of nearly $194,000 by underreporting the sales prices of unclaimed vehicles while overinflating ASAP’s costs to tow, store, and sell them.
The owner of ASAP Towing turned himself in to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Wednesday and was charged with grand theft and organized fraud, according to his arrest report.
The News4JAX I-TEAM has obtained the results of an investigation of Duval County’s top educator.
The State Attorney’s Office closed an investigation into a Westside mobile home park after it found no criminal evidence in the case of a tenant who was hit with outrageously high water bills last year.
Records obtained by News4JAX show there were issues with the gangway in Sapelo Island prior to the collapse that killed seven people in late October.
Records obtained by News4JAX show there were issues with the gangway in Sapelo Island prior to the collapse that killed seven people in late October.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday the expansion of its Gang Investigations Unit which is in charge of investigating, tracking and coordinating the response to gang-related incidents.
Some residents at an apartment complex on Beach Boulevard are being forced to either move out or terminate their leases because of issues with the flooring.
The News4JAX I-TEAM looked into the criminal past of the man accused of fatally shooting Jacksonville Correctional Officer Brad McNew early Saturday.
The News4JAX ITEAM is investigating complaints of excessive mold and mildew taking over a commercial space in Riverside. The tenant said it was because of neglect on the landlord’s part, forcing her to take legal action.
To get an inside look, the News4JAX I-TEAM embedded with JSO’s Overdose Squad, made up of detectives from both homicide and narcotics, responding to some of the calls with them.
The troubled club has been the focus of several I-TEAM investigations as the owners were overcome with financial issues leading to temporary and sudden closures of the club and leaving staff unpaid.
The troubled club has been the focus of several I-TEAM investigations as the owners were overcome with financial issues leading to temporary and sudden closures of the club and leaving staff unpaid.
A Jacksonville councilman has filed a class action lawsuit against a local outdoor kitchen and hot tub company.
