Florida Gubernatorial Candidate James Fishback Sued Over Unpaid Debate Scholarship
Key Takeaways
- •Briana Whatley alleges that James Fishback withheld $8,000 of an $11,000 debate scholarship she earned through a tournament run by his company, Incubate Foundation Inc.
- •Fishback acknowledged mishandling the situation, having paid only $3,000 of the award, with the remaining balance never disbursed.
- •The lawsuit claims Fishback ignored communications, blamed a terminated employee for the award terms, and falsely cited an unwritten installment policy to justify delays.
- •Fishback is seeking the Republican nomination for Florida governor in a competitive November 18 primary against candidates including former U.S. Representative Byron Donalds and Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins.
- •Fishback did not respond to The Guardian's request for comment before the report was published.
James Fishback, a Florida gubernatorial candidate and prominent MAGA figure, is facing a lawsuit alleging he defrauded a high school debate champion out of thousands of dollars in scholarship money, according to a report by The Guardian.
The lawsuit, filed by Briana Whatley — a current sophomore at Florida State University and a high school debate champion — accuses Fishback of withholding $8,000 of an $11,000 scholarship she earned after competing in a debate tournament organized by Incubate Foundation Inc., a company controlled by Fishback.
According to The Guardian's reporting, Fishback acknowledged in communications that he "dropped the ball" regarding the payment. He had previously requested Whatley's banking information and transferred $3,000 to her via Zelle, but the remaining balance was never paid.
The lawsuit alleges that Fishback "personally evaded and defrauded [her] by initially ignoring communications, later blaming a terminated employee for the written award terms, falsely claiming an unwritten 'installment policy,' and delaying payment for months."
Fishback did not respond to The Guardian's request for comment prior to publication.
The legal dispute adds a layer of personal and financial controversy to Fishback's gubernatorial bid, which is already shaping up as a competitive race among Republican candidates. Fishback is currently seeking the Republican nomination for governor of Florida in a contentious primary scheduled for November 18. His opponents include former U.S. Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), another prominent MAGA-aligned figure, and Jay Collins, the current lieutenant governor of Florida. The outcome of the primary will determine the party's nominee ahead of the general election.
