<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934





         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):        April 30, 1999



                               AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.                    
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)




         Florida                        0-27474                    65-0624640 
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)          (IRS Employer
        Incorporation)                                            Identification
                                                                       Number)




   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida          34210-2801
   ------------------------------------------         ----------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)           (Zip Code)




Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(941) 795-3050
                                                   --------------


<PAGE>



Item 5.  Other Events.

         Effective  April 30, 1999, Mr. Gerald L. Anthony  resigned his position
as Chief Executive Officer and President of American Bancshares, Inc., a Florida
corporation  (the  "Company"),  pursuant to the terms of a  Severance  Agreement
("Severance Agreement') approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, which
agreement modifies and clarifies the terms of Mr. Anthony's Employment Agreement
as it relates to his separation from the Company and its subsidiaries. Under the
terms of the Severance Agreement,  the Company has agreed to a severance package
providing for the payment of $190,000  payable in a lump sum or in  installments
over 12 months, at Mr. Anthony's election. The Severance Agreement also provides
a covenant not to compete or to solicit  customers up to and through October 31,
1999. A copy of the  Severance  Agreement  is attached as exhibit  10.15 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

         Mr.  Anthony's  resignation  as  President  and CEO of the  Company was
announced  by a press  release  issued  on April 30,  1999.  A copy of the press
release is attached  hereto as exhibit 99.1 to this  Current  Report on Form 8-K
and is incorporated herein by reference.

         In addition,  to his  resignation  as President and CEO of the Company,
Mr. Anthony  tendered a letter of resignation  effective April 30, 1999 pursuant
to which he resigned (i) as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and director
of American Bank, a Florida  state-chartered  bank (the "Bank"),  and of Freedom
Finance Company,  each a wholly-owned  subsidiary of the Company,  (ii) from the
Board of  Directors of the Company,  and (iii) as  administrator  of ABI Capital
Trust.  A copy of the letter of  resignation  is  attached as an exhibit to this
Current Report on Form 8-K.

          Mr. Jerry L. Neff, interim President and CEO of the Bank also has been
appointed to serve as the  interim President and  Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description


   10.15         Severance Agreement by and between American Bank and Gerald L.
                 Anthony.

   99.1          Press Release, issued April 30, 1999, regarding the resignation
                 of Mr. Anthony as President of American Bank.

   99.2          Letter of Resignation of Gerald L. Anthony.




                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  May 5, 1999                        By:   /s/ Brian M. Watterson        
                                              -------------------------------
                                              Brian M. Watterson
                                              Executive Vice President and Chief
                                              Operating Officer


<PAGE>




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit No.   Description


10.15         Severance Agreement by and between American Bank and Gerald L.
              Anthony.

99.1          Press Release, issued April 30, 1999, regarding the resignation of
              Mr. Anthony as President of American Bancshares.

99.2          Letter of Resignation of Gerald L. Anthony.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC. FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4878}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AMERICAN BANCSHARES INC \\FL\\", "cik": "0001004528", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "650624640", "state-of-incorporation": "FL", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-27474", "film-number": "99610420"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4502 CORTEZ ROAD WEST", "city": "BRADENTON", "state": "FL", "zip": "34210-2801", "phone": "9417273535"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 14940", "city": "BRADENTON", "state": "FL", "zip": "34280-4940"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):        April 30, 1999

                               AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.                    
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

         Florida                        0-27474                    65-0624640 
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)          (IRS Employer
        Incorporation)                                            Identification
                                                                       Number)

   4502 Cortez Road West, Bradenton, Florida          34210-2801
   ------------------------------------------         ----------
   (Address of Principal Executive Offices)           (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(941) 795-3050
                                                   --------------
Item 5.  Other Events.

         Effective  April 30, 1999, Mr. Gerald L. Anthony  resigned his position
as Chief Executive Officer and President of American Bancshares, Inc., a Florida
corporation  (the  "Company"),  pursuant to the terms of a  Severance  Agreement
("Severance Agreement') approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, which
agreement modifies and clarifies the terms of Mr. Anthony's Employment Agreement
as it relates to his separation from the Company and its subsidiaries. Under the
terms of the Severance Agreement,  the Company has agreed to a severance package
providing for the payment of $190,000  payable in a lump sum or in  installments
over 12 months, at Mr. Anthony's election. The Severance Agreement also provides
a covenant not to compete or to solicit  customers up to and through October 31,
1999. A copy of the  Severance  Agreement  is attached as exhibit  10.15 to this
Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

         Mr.  Anthony's  resignation  as  President  and CEO of the  Company was
announced  by a press  release  issued  on April 30,  1999.  A copy of the press
release is attached  hereto as exhibit 99.1 to this  Current  Report on Form 8-K
and is incorporated herein by reference.

         In addition,  to his  resignation  as President and CEO of the Company,
Mr. Anthony  tendered a letter of resignation  effective April 30, 1999 pursuant
to which he resigned (i) as the President, Chief Executive Officer, and director
of American Bank, a Florida  state-chartered  bank (the "Bank"),  and of Freedom
Finance Company,  each a wholly-owned  subsidiary of the Company,  (ii) from the
Board of  Directors of the Company,  and (iii) as  administrator  of ABI Capital
Trust.  A copy of the letter of  resignation  is  attached as an exhibit to this
Current Report on Form 8-K.

          Mr. Jerry L. Neff, interim President and CEO of the Bank also has been
appointed to serve as the  interim President and  Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a)      Not Applicable

(b)      Not Applicable

(c)      Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K

Exhibit No.                Description

   10.15         Severance Agreement by and between American Bank and Gerald L.
                 Anthony.

   99.1          Press Release, issued April 30, 1999, regarding the resignation
                 of Mr. Anthony as President of American Bank.

   99.2          Letter of Resignation of Gerald L. Anthony.

                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                AMERICAN BANCSHARES, INC.

Date:  May 5, 1999                        By:   /s/ Brian M. Watterson        
                                              -------------------------------
                                              Brian M. Watterson
                                              Executive Vice President and Chief
                                              Operating Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.   Description

10.15         Severance Agreement by and between American Bank and Gerald L.
              Anthony.

99.1          Press Release, issued April 30, 1999, regarding the resignation of
              Mr. Anthony as President of American Bancshares.

99.2          Letter of Resignation of Gerald L. Anthony.