Florida was duped into buying poisonous land by ultra-rich Collier family, whistleblower says.

A federal lawsuit filed in Fort Myers, Florida, alleges that the wealthy and politically connected Collier family deceived the state of Florida into purchasing contaminated land for $30 million. The lawsuit, unsealed on Thursday, is based on claims by Sonja Eddings Brown, described as a longtime aide to family matriarch Parker Collier and a whistleblower.

According to the lawsuit, the Collier family sold approximately 8,000 acres of land near Everglades National Park to the state in May 2023, promoting it as an “environmental win” to protect the area from potential oil drilling. However, the suit alleges that the family concealed the fact that the land was contaminated with lethal creosote, a hazardous waste.

The land in question had reportedly been the subject of at least 90 claims of cancer deaths, neurological diseases, infertility, respiratory disease, and birth defects among neighboring residents. The lawsuit claims that by selling this contaminated land, the Colliers not only enriched themselves but also relieved themselves of ongoing remediation obligations under a long-standing Consent Decree with the State of Florida.

Parker Collier, the matriarch of the family from which Collier County gets its name, is specifically named in the lawsuit. The suit alleges that she engineered the promotion and sale of the contaminated land, perpetrating unlawful acts to enrich herself and her family.

This case has significant implications, as it involves one of Florida’s most prominent families and raises questions about environmental protection, public health, and the use of taxpayer money. The DeSantis administration, which approved the land purchase, is now facing scrutiny over the decision to acquire potentially toxic property.