Miami's Alex Diaz de la Portilla is living beyond his means in divorce affidavit

In court papers filed last week for his divorce, former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla — who was arrested a year ago on 12 felonies including bribery and money laundering — claims he earns only $4,000 a month as a political consultant and has more than $10,000 a month in expenses.

Which leads to two questions: (1) Who in the world would hire him to do any political consulting? and (2) How is he going to pay his criminal defense attorney?

It was a bankruptcy attorney, Yulema Figueroa, who prepared Diaz de la Portilla’s divorce financial affidavit, filed Sept. 26. The former commissioner was sued for divorce by his wife Vanessa Garcia Azzam in January, about seven moths after they wed — but only four months after he was arrested in September of last year and suspended from office by the governor. In July, ADLP asked the court to have his wife pay for his legal costs. This affidavit is likely an attempt to show that he can’t pay his attorney himself.

In it, he lists monthly payments of $3,450 for a mortgage or rent, $180 in electric and gas, $350 on telephone, cable and internet service, $800 for groceries and household goods and $800 for meals outside the home. That’s a lot of McDonald’s.

He also lists $4,000 in monthly credit card bills. The affidavit also says he pays $787 a month for health and dental insurance. The total deficit each month is $6,846.

In other words, Alex Diaz de la Portilla is living beyond his means.

The affidavit — which is normally not filed as a public court document but sent to the attorneys — also says he has $49,000 in a TD Bank checking account, $2,400 in cash on hand, $3,000 worth of household furnishings, $2,000 in electronics and computers, $1,000 in clothing (he once had one suit worth twice that) and $10,000 in jewelry. He lists no cars, but three properties and two companies without disclosing their fair market value.

His childhood home in Little Havana is not listed since he finally lost it to foreclosure earlier this year.

His father’s mattress warehouse, which the former commissioner lists as his office, is in Allapattah, at 1481 NW 22nd Street, and assessed at just over $2 million on the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser’s site, which he has mortgaged and lists as a liability. He lists his father’s old farm on Krome, which he bought for $100 bucks in 2022, with two different addresses. The two adjacent folios are assessed at $663,000 and $800,000, but ADLP sold the former one in March for just over $700K.

That’s not listed anywhere in the assets. Did he spend it already?

Diaz de la Portilla also lists $120,000 in credit card debt.

Meanwhile, Garcia Azzam reported that she earned a little more than $8,000 a month as a Miami-Dade employee. Last Ladra knew, she was working in the district office of Commissioner Keon Hardemon, who used to share the dais in Miami with Diaz de la Portilla. After deductions, her affidavit says she takes home $5,778 a month. But she is also under water, spending $6,677 as month.

How do they do it?

Listed among the Mrs. assets are Loubatin shoes, Gucci loafers, a Dior handbag, Dior belt and Dior sneakers, purchased during the honeymoon. Maybe as gifts from her groom? She also listed “pre-marital Cuban art.” Probably so that ADLP can’t grab the pieces and sell them.

The former commissioner has also filed several requests for “special interrogatories” which she has objected to four times.

In a text message Wednesday, Diaz de la Portilla told Political Cortadito that he suspects Garcia Azzam has stolen some of his mother’s jewelry.

“I am just trying to recover stolen property, nothing more. The law provides for discovery,” he said. When asked what stolen property, he responded: “My dying mother’s jewelry, etc. It is a long list.

“Nonetheless, I hope we can resolve these matters amicably,” he added.

Good luck with that.

Among friends and former friends, Diaz de la Portilla is known as generous. He likes to give gifts. He loves to buy everyone a round of drinks or dinner for a team of phone bankers. He gives the air of a big spender, with alleged trips to Europe and stays at fancy hotels.

Of course, it was most likely always someone else’s money, like when he stayed at the East Hotel for months courtesy of David and Leila Centner, who wanted him to give them a public park. This is the shady deal that he’s facing trial for.

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Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla is living beyond his means in divorce affidavit added by Ladra on October 3, 2024
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