Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila Jr. is facing a wave of public scrutiny and legal questions following a high-profile gala held on December 6, 2025, at The Center at Deltona. Marketed as the “1st Annual Mayor’s Winter Ball,” the event was promoted as a charitable fundraiser benefiting the renovation and expansion of the Boys & Girls Club Harris Saxon location in Deltona. However, revelations that the named beneficiary was unaware of the event until the day before it occurred have cast a shadow over the mayor’s intentions and raised serious concerns about transparency, financial accountability, and potential violations of state and federal law.
The gala, hosted at a taxpayer-funded venue and promoted in partnership with the Volusia County Hispanic Association, featured dinner, dancing, and community celebration. Promotional materials distributed in the weeks leading up to the event emphasized that proceeds would support youth programs at the Harris Saxon Boys & Girls Club. Tickets were sold through Eventbrite, with tiered pricing and sponsorship opportunities. Yet despite the public framing of the event as a charitable endeavor, the CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties stated she had no prior knowledge of the fundraiser until December 5—just one day before the ball.
This revelation has triggered a cascade of questions. If the nonprofit was not involved in planning or approving the use of its name, how were funds collected and managed? Was the organization ever formally designated as a beneficiary? And most critically, did the Boys & Girls Clubs receive any of the proceeds from the event?
As of mid-December, no financial disclosures have been released detailing how much money was raised, how it was distributed, or whether the nonprofit received any benefit. The absence of documentation has fueled speculation that the event may have misrepresented its charitable purpose—a scenario that could carry serious legal consequences.
Under Florida law and federal statutes, organizing a fake charity event is considered a form of fraud. The core offense—intentional deception for personal gain—can be prosecuted as theft by false pretenses, organized communications fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and even money laundering if funds are routed through multiple accounts to obscure their origin. In Florida, the Communications Fraud Act specifically targets schemes conducted via phone or internet, which includes digital ticketing platforms and social media promotions. If false claims were made to donors or if the nonprofit’s name was used without consent, organizers could face felony charges. Federal wire and mail fraud statutes carry penalties of up to 30 years in prison, and money laundering charges may apply if illicit funds were moved through third-party entities.
The legal exposure doesn’t end there. If any false statements were made on tax forms to gain nonprofit status or avoid scrutiny, the Internal Revenue Service could pursue violations. Convictions for charity fraud can result in incarceration, substantial fines, restitution to victims, and asset forfeiture. The severity of penalties often depends on the total value of money or property obtained through the fraudulent event.
Beyond financial misconduct, the controversy has reignited broader concerns about exploitation within nonprofit organizations. Across the country, Boys & Girls Clubs have faced isolated but serious incidents involving staff or volunteers abusing their positions of trust. These crimes range from sexual abuse and possession of child sexual exploitation material to online enticement and failure to report suspected abuse. In Florida, failure to report child abuse is a felony, and any form of exploitation—whether of youth members or the organization’s finances—can result in criminal prosecution.
In Deltona, the mayor’s handling of the Winter Ball has also drawn attention to the city’s budget process. In a quote published by the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Mayor Avila stated, “We’ll just figure out what needs to get renovated and expanded, and we’ll add it to next year’s budget under park renovations, which is what I was trying to avoid because I was trying to save taxpayers some money.” However, city records tell a different story.
According to the FY 2025–2026 budget, the City of Deltona has already allocated $2 million in capital expenditures for Harris Saxon Park renovations. This funding was approved by the City Commission in September 2025 and is documented on page 88 of the publicly available line-item budget. The mayor’s suggestion that additional funding might be needed contradicts the existing budget, which already accounts for the renovations. His estimate of $500,000 for the Harris Saxon building should not appear as a new budget item, as the funds have already been earmarked.
This discrepancy has led to further confusion about the purpose of the Mayor’s Ball. If the renovations were already funded, why was a fundraiser promoted as supporting that project? Was the event intended to supplement the budget, or was it a symbolic gesture? Without clear documentation of how the funds were handled and whether the Boys & Girls Clubs received any benefit, the community is left with unanswered questions.
Commissioner Dori Howington has publicly clarified that the budget for Harris Saxon Park was approved months ago and that no additional funding is required. She provided documentation and screenshots of the approved line-item budget to support her statement. “The money is already there,” Howington said. “The budget was already approved. There should be no increase to next year’s budget for Harris Saxon Park renovations because the $2 million was already budgeted in the current fiscal year.”
As the controversy unfolds, residents are demanding transparency and accountability. The mayor’s office has yet to release a formal statement addressing the concerns, and the Boys & Girls Clubs have not confirmed receipt of any funds. Community members are calling for a full investigation into the event’s financial records, the use of the nonprofit’s name, and the potential misuse of public resources.
The Mayor’s Winter Ball, once framed as a celebration of community and youth empowerment, now stands at the center of a growing scandal. With legal implications mounting and public trust on the line, Deltona’s leadership faces a critical test of integrity, oversight, and responsibility.