Editor’s note: The charges described below are allegations. Lenita King has pleaded not guilty. Trooper Maurice Vilsaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Two former Florida Highway Patrol members are at the center of a Central Florida off-duty pay scandal after investigators accused them of billing the ChampionsGate Community Development District for security shifts they allegedly did not work.
Former FHP Capt. Lenita King, 63, of Haines City, and Trooper Maurice Vilsaint, 42, of Reunion, were booked in Osceola County in June as part of the case. Following the arrests, both were no longer employed by the Florida Highway Patrol, according to News 6 / ClickOrlando.
The ChampionsGate Allegations
The case focuses on off-duty police employment, a common arrangement where officers use their agency uniform and patrol vehicle to provide security for outside clients. In this case, King and Vilsaint had off-duty assignments with the ChampionsGate Community Development District in Osceola County.
According to arrest affidavits reported by ClickOrlando, investigators allege the two billed the district for work they never actually performed.
What Investigators Alleged About Lenita King
King was a 21-year FHP veteran who served as the Orlando District 2 commander for FHP Troop D. Investigators reportedly placed a covert GPS tracker on King’s vehicle to compare her location with the shifts she billed.
According to the affidavit details reported by News 6, King was allegedly present at ChampionsGate on only 10 of the 19 days she billed during March and April 2026. Investigators alleged she was paid for 76 hours but was physically present for about 12 hours and 20 minutes. They further alleged she overbilled the district by $3,517, though the district paid $2,600 before withholding additional payments.
King faces charges including grand theft, fraud/swindle, and falsifying an official document, according to court records reported by ClickOrlando. Her attorney entered a not-guilty plea and waived arraignment.
What Investigators Alleged About Maurice Vilsaint
Vilsaint was an 18-year FHP veteran assigned to the agency’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit. Investigators alleged he collected off-duty payments through an LLC created in 2023 and failed to file required Selective Enforcement Activity Reports for ChampionsGate assignments.
According to the affidavit details reported by News 6, Vilsaint allegedly billed for 60 days of assignments between October 1, 2025, and April 30, 2026, and received $15,340. Investigators accused him of leaving ChampionsGate dates off monthly reports filed with FHP.
Vilsaint faces charges including fraud/swindle, grand theft, falsifying a public or court record, and falsifying an official document, according to local reports.
Why the Case Matters
This case raises broader questions about how off-duty police work is monitored in Florida. A separate News 6 investigation reported that King and Vilsaint were paid through personal companies rather than through FHP. The same report noted that some other agencies handle billing and collection directly, while FHP off-duty arrangements may allow troopers to be paid directly by outside clients.
For the public, the issue is simple: if officers are allowed to use public authority, public uniforms, and public equipment for private security work, there has to be real oversight. When that oversight fails, taxpayers and communities are left wondering who was watching the watchers.
Current Status
King has pleaded not guilty. Both King and Vilsaint are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The case is pending in Osceola County.
