Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has business with accused money launderer

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Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has business with accused money launderer
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The land-use attorney and lobbyist arrested Thursday on money laundering, criminal conspiracy and political corruption charges also has business ties with Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago.

William “Bill” Riley Jr. was one of the four real estate agents registered along with Lago at the brokerage owned by former Hialeah Councilman Oscar de la Rosa, who is the stepson of Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo. Bovo is another real estate agent with the firm. So is Lago’s chief of staff, Chelsea Granell. The brokerage received a $640,000 commission from the sale of a Ponce de Leon Boulevard building to Location Ventures, the same development firm that is being investigated for its $10,000 monthly payments to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez for “consulting.”

On Thursday afternoon, shortly after messages were left with Lago, his name was removed from the license information. As if they are trying to erase any connection. Thank goodness for screen saves.

Reily was arrested Thursday and charged with Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who allegedly helped Lago in his 2021 campaign against Pat Keon and celebrate with him at the victory party. They were charged with bribery and political corruption charges stemming from a May 2022 vote by the Miami Commission to let a private school build a recreational facility on a public park.

Riley, who lobbied for The Centner Academy, was also the fundraising captain for the judicial campaign for Renier Diaz de la Portilla, the Miami commissioner’s baby brother.

Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Vince Lago and Oscar de la Rosa at Lago’s victory party in 2021.

During the investigation, agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found evidence indicating Diaz de la Portilla and Riley accepted more than $15,000 in payments for Baby DLP’s ugly and failed judicial campaign, but did not report them, as required by state law. Riley also controlled a bank account in the name of a Delaware-based corporation that the FDLE says laundered approximately $245,000 in concealed political contributions made by a management services company in exchange for permission to build a “sports complex” in the city of Miami. It turns out to be a recreational complex for The Centner Academy. 

Lago, who did not return a phone call and text message Thursday, endorsed Renier Diaz de la Portilla in that judicial race. At the time, nobody could figure out why.

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26 Responses to "Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago has business with accused money launderer"

  9. Esteban “Steve” Bovo. Background check – he had a foreclosure on his home prior to the County Commission having him overseeing the $6.2 billion + budget back in the 2010 decade. Had an ex-FL Highway Parol / cocaine dealer as his Chief of Staff – got caught and had to be let go from his position. Hmmm, now he’s involved with this – how not surprising.

    Reply

  10. Thank you Elaine for keeping us informed with so much information and so many shady characters in Dade County which is where we live and pay taxes.

    Reply

  12. (Eminem – The Real Slim Shady)

    May I have your attention, please?
    May I have your attention, please?
    Will the only ethical Cuban politician in Miami please stand up?
    I repeat
    Will the only ethical Cuban politician in Miami please stand up?
    We’re gonna have a problem here finding even one .

    Yes, I call them the Miami Cuban Cosa Nostra
    All you other non Cubans politicians are just imitating
    So will the only ethical Cuban politician in Miami please stand up?
    Please stand up, please stand up?

    Reply

  13. … developer wants project… so he becomes tenant of mayor who oversees project approval… pays rent even though property not used… sound like money laundering as well… #lago #kapoor #suarez #riley

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  14. Xavier Suarez was found ordering wine In a lunch on the City’s dime Ballot collecting ladies were found doing disingenuous things while employed in his Mayoral camp6.The Courts anulled his elec, throwing
    him for a serious backward spin. He garnered 75,000 votes in an election for County Mayor.

    Reply

  15. The Miami cesspool is flooding the Gables.
    The attempt to change the voting date will only open the flood gates to filthy money and more corruption.

    Reply

  17. This is to Alberto Santos, who has posted above:

    Let me get this straight. You want us to ignore any local corruption because Hunter Biden is alleged to be corrupt on the national scene?

    Alberto, some of us can walk and chew gum at the same time. We can even utter these words: JARED KUSHNER GOT $2.5 BILLION FROM THE SAUDIS!

    Reply

  19. Lago’s PAC received 600K for what? Elections cost like 50K in Coral Gables, so what is all that other money for? The truth is that Lago is the Coral Gables branch of the Suarez political mafia, and he was installed in Coral Gables to keep the family business going. Suarez the father was involved in election fraud, Suarez the son was paid by a developer while mayor, and Lago is in business with the same developer. Government service is to serve the people, not enrich yourself.

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  20. President Biden and his son Hunter sold political favors in Ukraine in exchange for money. Lots of money. Writing about Mayor Lago’s business endeavors is just a distraction from the real corruption that has happened in the country.

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  23. Wonder what’s going through his mind as Alex is sitting in TGK finding out who all his important friends (aren’t).

    Reply

  24. This is wonderful! EXPOSE them all and may justice be served. Enough with the corruption on tax payer dollars.

    Reply

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