Florida Files

Officeholders

John M Kest

2024 Form 6 · annual filing (Commission on Ethics) · received 2025-06-05 · 21 pages (text)

Net worth$6,811,393
Income listedtax return
Real estate$0
Debts listed$148,295
Worth a look1

Worth a look 1

Worth a look Unusual reporting

2 entries are withheld entirely ($2,350,000, 35% of net worth)

In the public copy, the whole description of 2 asset entries is redacted, so the public can't tell what they are. Partial redactions (an account number, or an exempt official's home address next to a named item) are common; this is the whole entry. The filer holds a position (Judicial Senior Judges - Consent to be Assigned) listed in s. 119.071, F.S., whose home address or other information the Commission keeps confidential on request, so these redactions may be lawful — though several whole entries go beyond a home address.

What to check
  • Compare with the filer's other filings, which may describe the same items.
  • The Commission on Ethics holds the unredacted filing.

Rule: Entries withheld entirely
“Describe, and state the value of, each asset you had on the reporting date”2024 Form 6 instructions, Assets ✓ quoted from the saved instructions · how this rule works

Context 3

Context Unusual reporting

Lists 3 investment accounts ($153,226) instead of what's in them

The instructions say the investments held in a brokerage account or IRA are the assets to report — not the account itself. As listed, the public can't see what the filer is invested in.

What to check
  • Which companies or funds are in these accounts? Holdings matter for conflicts of interest.

Rule: Accounts listed instead of investments
“Note that the product contained in a brokerage account, IRA, or the Florida College Investment Plan, is your asset”2024 Form 6 instructions, Assets ✓ quoted from the saved instructions · how this rule works

Context Unusual reporting

Net worth $6,811,393; listed items add up to $7,085,665

Reported net worth: $6,811,393. Household goods + listed assets − listed liabilities = $7,085,665. They roughly agree.

What to check
  • No action needed unless other items look off.

Rule: Net worth vs. listed items
“Simply subtracting your liabilities from your assets will not result in an accurate net worth figure in most cases.”2024 Form 6 instructions, Net Worth ✓ quoted from the saved instructions · how this rule works

Context Wealth & holdings

Reports a net worth of $6,811,393 — a multimillionaire on paper

Net worth is the filer's own figure. Being wealthy isn't a problem; it's context for comparing candidates and for reading the rest of the form.

What to check
  • Compare with the other candidates in the race.
  • Check that the large assets below are described and valued clearly.

Rule: Net worth tier
“Report your net worth as of”2024 Form 6 instructions, Net Worth ✓ quoted from the saved instructions · how this rule works

Where to look next

Some of what this filing reports stands out. These links open official public records, built from what the filer disclosed. They're searches you run yourself — results may include other people or companies with similar names.

Their filings

Other filings by John M Kest

FilingReceivedNet worthItems
2025 Form 6X — annual (Commission on Ethics)2026-05-13$6,778,0791
2025 Form 6 — annual (Commission on Ethics) · amended later2026-05-12$6,778,079

Net worth

Net worth
As of
Household goods (lump sum)

Assets over $1,000 $6,863,460 listed

DescriptionValue

Liabilities over $1,000 $148,295 listed

CreditorAddressAmount

Joint and several liabilities not reported above

Reported as “N/A”.

Income $0 listed

Elected to attach federal tax return instead:

Primary sources

SourceAddressAmount

Secondary sources (major customers of businesses owned)

Interests in specified businesses

Reported as “N/A”.

Signature

Signed by
Date
Filed with COE

Source

Document
Open PDF · original source
Retrieved
2026-10-08T12:12:20+00:00
SHA-256
258220e66b1de78e26f1513c379c4341e67e199625c45456bc77f354bf8588d0
Pages
p1 form6 · p2 form6 · p3 form6 · p4 form6 · p5 form6 · p6 form6 · p7 tax_return · p8 tax_return · p9 tax_return · p10 tax_return · p11 tax_return · p12 tax_return · p13 tax_return · p14 tax_return · p15 tax_return · p16 attachment · p17 attachment · p18 attachment · p19 other · p20 other · p21 attachment
Extraction
parser v0.5.2; 0 value(s) below 80% confidence