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Orange County property appraiser sued over strippers in office asks county for help with defense

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — There are now talks of a seven-figure settlement demand in a lawsuit against the Orange County property appraiser.

Records show that Rick Singh wanted the county's help defending the case, but a lawsuit was filed months after that meeting,

Singh wanted the county to help him defend against the claims, but for now the county has declined his request.

The property appraiser has been asked for more than $1 million to settle the suit with a former employee, but that's more than what the county can pay out under its insurance.

Laverne McGee and another employee, Aisha Hassan, claimed Singh had misspent taxpayer money and destroyed documents during a county audit.
 
McGee, who was Sing's communications director, made dozens of allegations in the lawsuit, including claims that Singh brought strippers to his office after hours and she was asked to cover for him.

According to a memo written last week, Singh and his chief operating officer went to the county to ask about the risk management program and how claims and coverage are handled.

Singh told the risk manager, that he was inquiring because a lawsuit may be headed his way.

But four months after that initial conversation, county officials are saying they will not help Singh defend the lawsuit.

Administrators said the county didn't want to jump in the middle of already ongoing discussions and discovery.

According to documents, Singh had already gone to mediation a week before he approached the county, and risk management said it was too late for them now to get involved.

But on Friday, Singh's COO said in an email there seemed to be some miscommunication in the rules, and that they did not like how their situation was handled by risk management and asked for a reconsideration of the case.

The committee meets this Thursday and the county said Singh's issue could be put back on the agenda if the office wanted.
But even if the committee reconsiders, the mayor and the county administrator already denied it and it would have to once again go up the chain.

Singh's office has not commented.

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Shannon Butler

Shannon Butler, WFTV.com

Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013.