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The U.S. Attorney’s office in Tallahassee, the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service have launched a probe into the Republican Party of Florida’s use of credit cards, the Miami Herald reported Wednesday.

Federal investigators are looking into whether Republican Party officials misused tax-exempt funds by charging personal expenses to party credit cards.

Jim Greer, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Floriday (rpof.org)

According to the Herald, the probe began as an investigation into former House Speaker Ray Sansom, who has been charged with theft and conspiracy for directing money in the state budget to an airplane hangar requested by a developer.

Individuals with knowledge of the investigation told the Herald that law enforcement are examining the use of credit cards by former Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer, former Florida GOP executive director and top fund-raiser Delmar Johnson and Marco Rubio, the former state House speaker who is leading in the race for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

If federal investigators determine that the credit cards were improperly used, the officials could face charges of tax evasion and making false statements on tax returns.

Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) asked Thomas Kirwin, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, to take over a separate but related criminal investigation being conducted by the  Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Crist faces a Rubio for the GOP Senate nomination, but he lags far behind the Tea Party favorite. There has been that the governor may run as an independent.

That investigation centers on Greer, who allegedly awarded a lucrative contract to Victory Strategies, a fund-raising company in which he owned a majority stake. Under the contract, the company — which Greer owned along with Johnson — would receive a 10 percent commission on major donations to the party. Both Greer and Johnson have left their positions with the state party.