Index: OFR 2026- 528
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION
' 1 0/29/2026
EGAL
In Re:
STEPPING STONE LOANS LLC, Case Number: 138860
Respondent.
FINAL ORDER
The State of Florida, Office of Financial Regulation ("Office"), being authorized and directed to administer and enforce chapter 516, Florida Statutes, hereby enters this Final Order with Notice of Rights ("Final Order") as authorized by the provisions of chapters 120 and 516, Florida Statutes, against STEPPING STONE LOANS LLC ("Respondent"). FINDINGS OFF ACT
I. On September 9, 2026, the Office issued an Administrative Complaint
("Complaint") against Respondent, alleging violations of chapter 516, Florida Statutes. (Exhibit A)
2. Within the Complaint was a Notice of Rights that afforded Respondent an
opportunity to request a hearing in accordance with sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes, including the following information:
TO PRESERVE THE RIGHT TO A HEARING, A WRITTEN
RESPONSE MUST BE FILED WITH THE OFFICE OF
FINANCIAL REGULATION WITHIN TWENTY-ONE (21)
DAYS AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COMPLAINT. SAID RESPONSE MUST BE RECEIVED BY
THE OFFICE NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. ON THE
TWENTY-FIRST DAY AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT. A FAILURE TO
TIMELY RESPOND IN WRITING WILL CONSTITUTE A
WAIVER OF THE LICENSEE'S RIGHT TO REQUEST A
HEARING AND A FINAL ORDER MAY BE ENTERED
WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE.

3. The Office served Respondent with the Complaint via U.S. Certified Mail on September 14, 2026. (Exhibit B)

4. Respondent's written response to the Complaint was due on or before October 5, 2026. To date, the Office has neither received a written response to the Complaint nor has Respondent made a claim of equitable tolling.

5. The factual allegations as stated in the Complaint are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein, and being uncontested by Respondent, are accepted as true and correct and are adopted by the Office as Findings of Fact for purposes of this Final Order.

CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

6. The Office is responsible for the administration and enforcement of chapter 516, Florida Statutes, and has jurisdiction over the subject matter and of Respondent pursuant to chapter 516, Florida Statutes.

7. The Findings of Fact that have been adopted herein serve as the basis of the entry of this Final Order against Respondent.

8. Section 120.569(2)(a), Florida Statutes, and Rule 28-106.111(2), Florida Administrative Code, require, among other things, that a response or a petition to an action which affects the substantial interests of a party be filed with the agency within 21 days of receipt of written notice of the action.

9. Pursuant to Rule 28-106.111(4), Florida Administrative Code, the failure of Respondent to timely respond to the Complaint constitutes a waiver of Respondent's right to an administrative proceeding.

10. The doctrine of equitable tolling can be applied in administrative cases when a party has been misled or lulled into inaction, i.e., has in some extraordinary way, been prevented from asserting his rights, or has timely asserted his rights in the wrong forum. Machules v. Dept. of Admin., 523 So.2d 1132, 1134 (Florida 1988).

11. Without any evidence of equitable tolling, it is appropriate for the Office to conclude there was none. Patz v. Dept. of Health, 864 So.2d 79, 80 (Fla. 3d DCA 2003).

12. When Respondent failed to submit a response to the Office on or before October 5, 2026, Respondent did not timely file a petition or any other document in response to the Complaint. Respondent also presented no claim, or evidence of equitable tolling. Therefore, it is appropriate for the Office to conclude there was no equitable tolling and Respondent waived their right to an administrative proceeding.

13. Based on the Findings of Fact adopted herein, the Office concludes that Respondent violated the specific statutes and rules charged in the Complaint and, as such, the specific charges in the Complaint are adopted in this Final Order as Conclusions of Law.

14. The waiver of a hearing by Respondent, taken together with the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law adopted herein, constitute sufficient grounds for the Office to take administrative action against Respondent, including the imposition of an administrative fine.

Based on the foregoing Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law, it is hereby

ORDERED:

A. Within thirty (30) days of the date of this Final Order, Respondent shall pay an ADMINISTRATIVE FINE of Three Hundred Fifty Dollars ($350.00).

B. Effective thirty (30) days from the date of this Final Order, Consumer Finance Company license number CF9901612 is hereby SUSPENDED for a period of ten (10) days.

C. Respondent shall submit the administrative fine in the form of a wire, money order or cashier's check made payable to the "Office of Financial Regulation." Such payment

shall reference Case Number 138860 and shall be sent to the attention of Agency Clerk, c/o Carrie S. Franz, Post Office Box 8050, Tallahassee, FL 32314-8050.

DONE and ORDERED this 2j~ day of October, 2026, in Tallahassee, Leon County, Florida.

Russell C. Weigel, III
Commissioner

NOTICE OF RIGHTS

A PARTY WHO IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THIS FINAL ORDER IS ENTITLED TO JUDICIAL REVIEW PURSUANT TO SECTION 120.68, FLORIDA STATUTES. REVIEW PROCEEDINGS ARE GOVERNED BY THE FLORIDA RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE. SUCH PROCEEDINGS ARE COMMENCED BY FILING THE ORIGINAL NOTICE OF APPEAL WITH THE AGENCY CLERK FOR THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION AS FOLLOWS:

By Mail, Facsimile or Email
Agency Clerk
Office of Financial Regulation
Office of General Counsel
P.O. Box 8050
Tallahassee, FL 32314-8050
Phone: (850) 410-9889
Fax: (850) 410-9663
Email: Agency.Clerk@flofr.gov

OR

By Hand Delivery
Agency Clerk
Office of Financial Regulation
Office of General Counsel
The Fletcher Building
101 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 410-9889

A COPY OF THE NOTICE OF APPEAL, ACCOMPANIED BY THE FILING FEES AS REQUIRED BY LAW, MUST ALSO BE FILED WITH THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST DISTRICT, 2000 DRAYTON DRIVE, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-0950, OR WITH THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL IN THE APPELLATE DISTRICT WHERE THE PARTY RESIDES. THE NOTICE OF APPEAL MUST BE FILED WITH BOTH THE AGENCY CLERK FOR THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION AND THE DISTRICT COURT OF APPEAL WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE RENDITION OF THE ORDER TO BE REVIEWED.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Final Order was furnished to Stepping Stone Loans LLC by U.S. Mail to 2125 Biscayne Blvd 229, Miami, Florida 33137 and by electronic mail to sean@steppingstoneloans.com on this 30th day of November, 2026.

30th

cial Regulation ce x 8050
. FL 32314-8050
Email: Agency.Clerk@flofr.gov
Tel: (850) 410-9889

EXHIBIT A

STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION

In Re:
STEPPING STONE LOANS LLC,
Case Number: 138860
Respondent.

ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT

The State of Florida, Office of Financial Regulation (''Office''), files this Administrative Complaint against STEPPING STONE LOANS LLC, ("Respondent''), alleging:

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS

1. Pursuant to sections 516.11(1) and 516.07, Florida Statutes, the Office is charged with administering and enforcing the provisions of chapter 516, Florida Statutes, and is authorized to conduct examinations and investigations to determine whether any provision of chapter 516, Florida Statutes, has been violated.

2. Pursuant to section 516.07(1)(d), Florida Statutes, failure to comply with any provision of chapter 516, Florida Statutes, or related rule constitutes grounds for disciplinary action.

3. Pursuant to section 516.01(7), Florida Statutes, a "license" means a permit issued under this chapter to make and collect loans in accordance with chapter 516, Florida Statutes, at a single place of business.

4. Pursuant to section 516.02(1), Florida Statutes, a person must not engage in the business of making consumer finance loans or operate a branch of such business unless he or she is authorized to do so under chapter 516, Florida Statutes, or other statutes and unless the person first obtains a license from the Office.

5. Section 516.38(1), Florida Statutes, requires each licensee to file an annual report on a form prescribed by rule and include the information required by Section 516.38(2), Florida Statutes, by March 15 of each year.

6. At all times material, Stepping Stone Loans LLC ("Stepping Stone Loans'') has conducted business as a consumer finance company in Miami, Florida.

7. Stepping Stone Loans LLC has been licensed as a consumer finance company under chapter 516, Florida Statutes (License number CF9901612) since July 23, 2025.

8. The Office conducted an examination (No. 138442) to ascertain Respondent's compliance with chapter 516, Florida Statutes.

9. Respondent failed to file the annual report for Fiscal Year 2025 by March 15, 2026.

10. To date, Respondent has not filed the annual report for Fiscal Year 2025 in violation of Section 516.38(1), Florida Statutes.

11. Pursuant to sections 516.07(2) and 516.23(2)(c), Florida Statutes, the Office may impose and collect an administrative fine against a licensee, or any person found to have violated any provision of chapter 516, Florida Statutes, or the corresponding rules, in an amount not to exceed $1,000.00 for each violation.

12. Therefore, the Office is seeking an appropriate administrative fine and an A level license suspension.

WHEREFORE, Respondent, STEPPING STONE LOANS LLC, is hereby notified that the Office intends to seek an Order imposing an appropriate administrative fine against Stepping Stone Loans LLC, and an appropriate A level license suspension.

[this space intentionally left blank]

NOTICE OF RIGHTS

The licensee is entitled to be represented by counsel or another qualified representative.

The licensee also has the right to request a hearing pursuant to sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes. Such request must comply with Rules 28-106.2015 and 28-106.104, Florida Administrative Code. An Election of Proceeding form is attached for your convenience.

Any such request must be filed as follows:

By Mail, Facsimile or Email
Agency Clerk
Office of Financial Regulation
Office of General Counsel
P.O. Box 8050
Tallahassee, FL 32314-8050
Phone: (850) 410-9889
Fax: (850) 410-9663
Email: Agency.Clerk@flofr.gov

OR

By Hand Delivery
Agency Clerk
Office of Financial Regulation
Office of General Counsel
The Fletcher Building
101 East Gaines Street, Suite 504
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 410-9889

TO PRESERVE THE RIGHT TO A HEARING, A WRITTEN RESPONSE MUST BE FILED WITH THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION WITHIN TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE AMENDED ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT. SAID RESPONSE MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE OFFICE NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. ON THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY AFTER THE RECEIPT OF THE AMENDED ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT. A FAILURE TO TIMELY RESPOND IN WRITING WILL CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF THE LICENSEE'S RIGHT TO REQUEST A HEARING AND A FINAL ORDER MAY BE ENTERED WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE.

You may not make an oral request for an administrative hearing. With regard to a written request, if you fail to follow the outlined procedure, your request may be dismissed. Any request for an administrative proceeding received prior to the date of this notice is deemed abandoned and to be considered, must be timely renewed in compliance with the procedure set forth above.

Mediation of this matter pursuant to section 120.573, Florida Statutes, is not available.

NOTICE TO RESPONDENT

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with disabilities needing special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the Agency Clerk no later than seven (7) days prior to the filing deadline or proceeding, at the Office of Financial Regulation, 200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399, Phone: (850) 410-9889, or by Email: Agency.Clerk@flofr.gov.

By: ().;»~ .s
·~
Carrie S. Franz
,_)
Chief Counsel
Office of Financial Regulation
Office of General Counsel
Fla. Bar No. 659274
200 E Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Tel: (850) 410-9834
Email:Carrie.Franz@flofr.gov

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Administrative Complaint was furnished by U.S. Certified Mail to Stepping Stone Loans LLC at 2125 Biscayne Blvd 229, Miami, FL 33137 on this 9th day of September, 2026.

9489 □□ 90 0027 bb20 812b ~7 ().;»i -S.
~-.. _
Carrie Franz
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Chief Counsel

STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION

Case No: 138860
Stepping Stone Loans LLC
2125 Biscayne Blvd 229
Miami, FL 33137

ELECTION OF PROCEEDING

I have received and read the Administrative Complaint, including the Notice of Rights, filed by the Office of Financial Regulation ("Office") regarding the above-referenced Respondent, and I am requesting disposition as indicated below. PLEASE SELECT ONLY ONE OF THE OPTIONS:

OPTION #1: ☐ I do not request a hearing in this matter. I do not dispute any of the Office's factual allegations and conclusions of law as stated In the Administrative Complaint. I understand that upon my waiving the right to a hearing, the Office may enter a final order adopting the findings of fact and conclusions of law in the Administrative Complaint, and imposing the penalties sought in the Administrative Complaint. Administrative Complaint.

OPTION #2: ☐ I do not dispute any of the Office's factual allegations but dispute the Office's conclusions of law to those factual allegations, and request disposition of this matter by Informal hearing pursuant to section 120.57(2), Florida Statutes. I request to (CHECK ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING 2 OPTIONS):

a. ☐ Attend a hearing by video teleconference before a Hearing Officer appointed by the Office; OR

b. ☐ Submit a written statement with supporting documentation to a Hearing Officer appointed by the Office.

OPTION #3: ☐ I do dispute one or more of the Office's factual allegations. I request a formal hearing before the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) pursuant to section 120.57(1), Florida Statutes. In accordance with Rule 28-106.2015(5)(c), FAC, I am attaching a copy of the material facts that I dispute.

TO PRESERVE YOUR RIGHT TO A HEARING, A RESPONSE MUST BE FILED WITH THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION AGENCY CLERK NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M. ON OR BEFORE THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY AFTER RECEIPT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT, BY ANY OF THE FOLLOWING METHODS:

1. By email: Agency.Clerk@flofr.gov; or

2. By U.S. Mail: P.O. Box 8050, Tallahassee, Florida 32314--8050; or

3. By hand delivery: Office of General Counsel, Suite 504, Fletcher Bldg., 101 E. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL32399.

Signature of Respondent or
Mailing Address
Authorized Representative of Respondent
Printed Name & Title
City
State
Zip
Date
E-mail Address
Telephone Number

Form: OFR-GC-13 (rev. 1/28/2026)

STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF FINANCIAL REGULATION

Case No: 138860
Stepping Stone Loans LLC
2125 Biscayne Blvd 229
Miami, FL 33137

**YOU ARE TO COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING ONLY IF YOU HAVE CHECKED OPTION #3 ON THE PRECEDING PAGE. If you need more space, you may provide additional pages.

As Respondent or the authorized representative of Respondent, I am disputing the following material facts:

Signature of Respondent or Authorized Representative Date

Form: OFR-GC-13 (rev.1/28/2026)

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~ POSTIJL SERVICE®

EXHIBIT B

September 18, 2026

Dear Amber Hopkins:

The following is in response to your request for proof of delivery on your item with the tracking number: 9489 0090 0027 6620 8126 47.

Item Details
Status:
Status Date / Time:
Location:
Postal Product:
Extra Services:
Recipient Name:
Shipment Details
Weight:
Recipient Signature
Signature of Recipient:
Delivered, Front Desk/Reception/Mail Room
September 14, 2026, 01:01 pm
MIAMI, FL 33137
First-Class Mail®
Certified Mail™
Return Receipt Electronic
FV
3lb, 8.2oz
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Add f R . . t 2125BISCAYNEBLVD, MIAMI, ress o ecIpIen : n33131

[Note:] Scanned image may reflect a different destination address due to Intended Recipient's delivery instructions on file.

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