Tracy Caruso, wife of suspended Palm Beach County Clerk Michael Caruso, resigned from public boards to support her husband. Michael Caruso, 67, faces felony child sex abuse charges. Tracy, a certified rape crisis counselor, called the accusations “false.”
“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,” she stated.
Tracy stepped down from the Health Care District of Palm Beach County board and resigned as vice chair of the Palm Beach State College Board of Trustees. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had appointed her to both roles. She decided to resign to avoid distractions caused by the allegations against her husband. This decision did not imply any wrongdoing acknowledgment.
Tracy is a stepmother to seven children and was also appointed to the Palm Beach County Housing Finance Authority. Michael Caruso, arrested on August 18, faces charges like kidnapping, child molestation, and child abuse. Tracy maintains the charges do not reflect her husband’s true nature.
Previously, Michael Caruso supported the death penalty for sexual crimes against children under 12 as a Republican state legislator. He pleaded not guilty in his first court appearance in Orlando. Newsweek reported that Caruso had faced previous allegations in 2012, which were cleared as “unfounded.”
Governor DeSantis suspended Michael Caruso from office upon the recent allegations and claimed unawareness of these before his appointment. DeSantis described the charges as “truly horrific.” He emphasized the state’s thorough efforts to develop credible charges.
Authorities claim Caruso abused a relative several times from late 2024 to August 2025. Instances reportedly occurred on family outings and a Thanksgiving gathering. The child has been under therapeutic care since April 2026.
Lisa Haba, of the Haba Law Firm representing the victim, stated, “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.”
If convicted, Caruso faces life imprisonment, with a grand jury indictment possibly making him eligible for the death penalty. He remains in an Orange County jail without bond, awaiting a pretrial detention hearing.