A former director of Florida's gambling addiction helpline has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in state prison after taking more than $1.4 million from his former employer to fund his gambling. Philip Lee Sullivan, 43, pleaded no contest to six felony charges after prosecutors said he used company credit cards to purchase gift cards and cash cards while working for Panama City-based Royal American.
On 16 October 2026, a Bay County judge adjudicated Sullivan guilty on all six counts and sentenced him to 118.5 months in prison, with the sentences running concurrently. He was also ordered to pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution, according to court records cited by WJHG-TV.
