Tracy Caruso Steps Down Amid Allegations Against Husband Michael Caruso

Tracy Caruso, wife of suspended Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Caruso, resigned from public boards to support her husband who faces felony child sex abuse charges. Tracy, a certified rape crisis counselor, described the accusations as “false.” She expressed her support, stating, “I know my husband. I love Mike, I believe him, and I believe in his innocence. I stand firmly beside him as he faces these serious allegations and works to clear his name.” This statement was made to WPTV.

Tracy Caruso vacated her roles on the board of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County and as vice chair of the Palm Beach State College Board of Trustees on August 24. These appointments were by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2022 and 2025, respectively. She previously ran for mayor of Delray Beach in 2021 but was unsuccessful. Tracy clarified her resignation was to avoid distracting the boards’ work, not an “acknowledgment of wrongdoing.”

Tracy Caruso is a stepmother of seven children and also held a position on the Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority, as appointed by then-County Mayor David Kerner, according to a 2025 résumé in county records.

Michael Caruso, 67, was apprehended on August 18 on five child sex abuse felony counts. These charges involve kidnapping, child molestation, lewd exhibition, luring, or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury as per the arrest affidavit.

Tracy reiterated, “These accusations are false and do not reflect the man I know or the life we have built together. There is far more to this story than what has appeared in headlines, including important context surrounding how these allegations came about. In short time, those facts will come to light.” Representatives for the Carusos were contacted via email by Newsweek.

Earlier reports by Newsweek indicate Michael Caruso’s past as a Republican state legislator supporting the death penalty for adults guilty of sexually abusing children under 12. He appeared in court in Orlando and entered a not guilty plea. A 2012 Delray Beach Police Department report indicated Caruso was previously under a child abuse investigation. Records show an anonymous report of alleged molestation, occurring over a year, and prior abuse claims.

Investigators noted the suspect’s “complete disbelief” and distress. The case was deemed “unfounded” as the alleged victim did not corroborate the abuse claims and lacked witness support.

Governor DeSantis, who appointed Caruso as court clerk and comptroller in August 2025, suspended him upon learning of these allegations. DeSantis was unaware of previous allegations at Caruso’s appointment, stating he was “highly recommended.” He added, “He had a clean vet when he was vetted by the people. But the people that do this, sometimes are people that out in public you wouldn’t think would do it or that hold themselves up.”

DeSantis labeled the allegations “truly horrific” and praised the state’s careful construction of a case robust enough to endure “legal scrutiny” and “inevitable defenses.” He referenced Florida’s law allowing the death penalty for certain child sexual crimes, highlighting that abuse frequently occurs within families. Caruso supported this legislation in 2023.

Investigators allege Caruso repeatedly abused a relative between fall 2024 and August 2025, including on a family cruise, a fishing trip, and during Thanksgiving. The child has been receiving therapeutic services since April 2026, stated the police affidavit.

“This arrest is a decisive line in the sand. When someone targets a child, they don’t just break the law — they shatter a community’s trust,” stated Lisa Haba of the Haba Law Firm, representing the victim, as previously shared with Newsweek.

If convicted, Caruso faces a potential life sentence. A grand jury indictment could make him eligible for the death penalty, according to prosecutors’ motion referenced by the Miami Herald.

What’s Next for Caruso?

Caruso is detained in an Orange County jail without bail, awaiting a pretrial detention hearing on August 25. DeSantis remarked, “If even half of these allegations get proven in court, he’s going to have the book thrown at him like few defendants will.”