Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Caruso Arrested on Multiple Child Abuse Felonies

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said on X that Michael Caruso, the Palm Beach County clerk of courts, was taken into custody early Tuesday with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and local police. The arrest involves five felony counts, including kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury.

Governor Ron DeSantis issued a suspension order for Caruso shortly before 10 a.m., removing him from public office while the investigation proceeds. According to a probable-cause affidavit, the alleged abuse involved Caruso’s grandson, a boy under 12, and began in 2024, continuing at least until August 2025. The affidavit states the victim’s father first learned of the abuse in October 2025 after observing his son’s behavior with a younger sibling.

The affidavit also details that the victim reported incidents on a cruise and in the days before Thanksgiving 2024. Caruso denied the specific allegations, claiming he only showered with his own children, and suggested the accusations might have been fabricated by a former spouse. He later told the victim’s father that reporting the case could result in severe consequences for him.

The case follows a 2001 investigation into alleged physical abuse of one of Caruso’s children, which was ultimately closed without charges. Caruso, 67, was appointed by Governor DeSantis in August to fill the clerk position after the previous officeholder resigned. He had been slated to run for election in November, but the suspension raises questions about his candidacy. Election lawyer Juan-Carlos “J.C.” Planas explained that the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee could name a replacement candidate before the primary results are certified, allowing the new name to appear on the November ballot.

If no replacement is named in time, Caruso’s name would remain on the ballot with notices indicating that votes cast for him would count for the designated replacement. The situation mirrors a 2026 incident in which a former U.S. representative resigned after allegations of inappropriate communications with minors, leading to a late-stage ballot substitution.