A former bookkeeper to restaurateur and the late County Commissioner Mike Forster was arrested for allegedly making tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized purchases against his estate.
According to the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office, 71-year old Susanne Bloy was arrested on May 17 and charged with a first-degree felony of scheme to defraud. Officials say a detailed investigation revealed she allegedly spent $50,000 for online purchases through a casino gaming app with money from Forster’s estate. In September 2021, Forster passed away following a battle with COVID-19. He served on the Islamorada Village Council for a number of years before running for and being elected as Monroe County commissioner. He was widely known throughout the community as “Mangrove Mike” from all his years running Mangrove Mike’s Restaurant in Islamorada.
In the aftermath, Bloy — his trusted bookkeeper since 1998 — was appointed by family members to manage “Mangrove Mike’s Enterprises” while the estate underwent probate. However, in early 2024, prosecutors say, suspicions of financial misconduct surfaced when Forster’s niece, Paige Keil, discovered recurring Apple.com charges that had no connection to the business operations.
The probe, led by Roy Bogue, State Attorney’s Office senior investigator, revealed that from February 2022 through September 2023, Bloy allegedly used debit cards tied to Mangrove Enterprises Inc. to make repeated online purchases through a casino gaming app, “Cash Frenzy – Slots Casino.” The charges, amounting to over $50,000, were linked to Apple IDs and devices under Bloy’s control, including an iPad later renamed “Susanne’s iPad.”
Through a subpoena issued to First State Bank and records obtained from Apple and Yahoo, investigators were able to verify Bloy was responsible for hundreds of in-app purchases charged to the Mangrove Enterprises business account. A search warrant for the email account associated with these purchases was signed by Judge Luis Garcia on April 2, 2024. Evidence showed Bloy updated the Apple ID account, changed the billing information to her name and later attempted to delete the account days before the business was transferred to the Keil family.
“This case deeply impacts the Upper Keys,” said State Attorney Dennis Ward. “Mike Forster dedicated his life to public service and generosity. During the darkest days of COVID, his restaurant kept people fed and connected. To discover that someone he trusted is accused of stealing from his legacy is absolutely unacceptable.”
“Thanks to the persistence and courage of Paige Keil, who came forward with this information, and the tireless work of Investigator Bogue, we were able to track the misuse of funds and confirm the digital trail,” said Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield.
On May 14, Judge James Morgan signed an arrest warrant for Susanne Bloy, setting bond at $50,000. She was arrested at her home by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the county jail. She posted bond and has been released pending trial.
“This is about protecting the legacy of someone who gave so much to our community,” Ward added. “We owe it to Mike’s family — and to every family in the Keys — to pursue justice with integrity and resolve.”
