Charges Against Florida Adjuster Dropped After He Goes Undercover

Eric Garcia-Cebollero worked as a high-ranking claims adjuster for Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run company that insures hundreds of thousands of Florida homeowners. He boasted over two decades of experience in the field, and had wide authority to approve large claims for homes and businesses damaged by floods and fires. He also was crooked, according to court records, routinely shaking down homeowners and companies for bribes. Police first busted him in 2015 — the investigation was dubbed “Operation Bad Citizen” — but he went right on working for Citizens anyway, secretly helping authorities make criminal cases against some of the people who had paid him illegal kickbacks.