Suspended Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill appears in court for civil lawsuit

ORLANDO, Fla. - Suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill appeared in court on Friday morning for a civil lawsuit after she was accused of using a 96-year-old woman's money to fund her own lifestyle.

FOX 35 cameras were rolling when the former District 5 commissioner walked into the courthouse. Reporter Randi Hildreth attempted to ask Hill questions, but she remained silent throughout her walk from the parking lot to the entrance of the building.

"Do you have any message to the community this morning?"

"Did you take this woman's money?"

"Did you have a relationship with this woman?"

Inside the courtroom, Hill stayed silent too, invoking her 5th Amendment rights.

Representatives for the 96-year-old woman began to ask Hill about how she got involved with the woman to begin with and when she first became aware of her.

"Sir, I have a criminal case pending and I'm invoking my 5th Amendment rights," Hill said while on the stand.

The judge denied Hill's motion to dismiss the injunction.

Hill was arrested last week on charges of elderly exploitation and fraud after a grand jury indictment. She was released on bond shortly after.

In the days after arrest, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended her from office. Soon, the City of Orlando will hold a special election to fill the District 5 seat.

Hill's arrest came after a 13-month-long investigation from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which was first tipped off to Hill's alleged wrongdoing from a criminal complaint filed with the Florida Attorney General's Office in February 2023.

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The investigation revealed that Hill allegedly established power of attorney over a 96-year-old woman and went on to buy a home with her listed as a co-owner without permission and also using her funds to buy a facelift, IV infusions, a New Year's Eve stay in Miami, car insurance, dental surgery, and other personal bills.

These alleged transactions exceeded $100,000.

FDLE Special Agent in Charge John Vecchio said Hill became aware of the 96-year-old elderly victim because of her position as a city commissioner and lent what appeared to be some benefit services that blossomed into criminal acts.

"The victim in this case was not aware of how much she had signed over to Commissioner Hill," Vecchio said.

Vecchio clarified that the charges brought forth concern Hill acting as a citizen rather than in her official capacity as a city commissioner. Massie elaborated, saying that the charges result from a crime, and law enforcement will focus on the actions she allegedly committed that violated Florida laws.