Watchdog Report Vol.16 No. 36 January 10, 2016 EST.05.05.00 – I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 Years of Weekly publishing
CONTENTS
Argus Report: Petulant North Korea leader Kim Jung Un, stuns world if hydrogen bomb test is true, or just enrichment of conventional atomic bomb
Florida: How wild will the Florida Legislative session be this year, $1.3 billion of revenue in dispute over $79.3 billion budget?
Miami-Dade County: Mayor Gimenez wades into politically turbulent waters with idea for ferry’s to Cuba contract, repression is not less since Obama rapprochement
Public Health Trust: health trust will be looking for trustees in near future, only the best of the best need apply to be on seven member oversight board, $830 million GOB oversight board looking for trustees as well
City of Miami: Commissioners & Mayor Regalado expected to meet with new UM President Julio Frenk, M.D. to discuss “city related issues”
City of Miami Beach: County Commissioner Barreiro will gives residents updates at TMBC, has served on 13 member body since 1990s
City of North Miami Beach: North Miami Beach Resident Pleads Guilty for his Participation in a Stolen Identity Tax Fraud Scheme
Palm Beach County: Palm Beach County Resident Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for his Role in Massive Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud Scheme
Community Events: Major new show at The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse –
Editorial: Public institutions need to remember baby boomers not as nimble with technology as young folks, small font a nightmare for some – One of Watchdog Report’s main missions is to keep watch on all the host of Trust’s in Miami-Dade County and involve some serious public money in the billions
Letters: Pet trust founder on past WDR – advocate’s petition for FDOT to come up with alternative to yellow polls and injuries from pole divers
Sponsors – Publisher’s mission statement & Subscription information is at the bottom of this issue
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>>>> The Watchdog Report publisher for 16 years now, has reported back weekly on how your billions of public dollars in local government are being spent. And how to help support me providing this service is at the end of the WDR. And I hope you will consider keeping an independent news service out in our community, where what is going on with all our government entities is of critical benefit for both the public institutions but voters as well. Thank You. And to my Supporters I pledge to keep ‘going when you cannot.’ And in the past I have broken the story on Cuban refugees coming in droves and also the Oriental fruit fly quarantine and its huge economic impact to name just a few of the more recent stories in past WDR’s.
>>> And you can now easily support the Watchdog Report by going to my new PayPal Button account at www.watchdogreport.net Thank you for the past support over the last 16 years. And to read a national story and profile of the WDR publisher in the early years back in 2003 go to: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog
ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the street
>>> Petulant North Korea leader Kim Jung Un, stuns world if hydrogen bomb test is true or just enrichment of conventional atomic bomb
The world is stunned to hear that North Korea may have detonated a hydrogen bomb. A major leap for the Hermit Kingdom and if they are trying to put such a warhead on a missile to be delivered by a submarine the idea of strategic patient and the rogue nation imploding, is not panning out. Further, Leader Kim Jong Un, who turned 33, Friday is having a tiff with the nation’s only ally China and this move is bringing instability to the region with the Japanese public leaders are nervous to say the least. And the type of bomb detonated has yet to be confirmed but if it were true. The whole diplomatic equation is thrown out the window for the region and the United States.
What about the presidential campaign?
Donald Trump is still rising in the polls with major numbers on social media sites and while he is getting fact checked more. It appears his supporters will overlook these exaggerations and even former Gov. Jeb Bush got dinged when he said actor Charlton Heston presented him with a major NRA award, but he was given the award by the man who followed Heston at the NRA, and Heston had announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
And Sen. Marco Rubio is getting blowback for some boots he is wearing while he campaigns in New Hampshire and is having a “Miami Send Off for the Next President,” fundraiser tonight at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami and the race has Sen. Ted Cruise, R-Tx. Still trailing Trump and his followers and New Jersey Gov. Crist Christy is still in the mix, but Ohio Gov. John Kasack has dropped from the media radar and with the February primary looming in the granite state, where regardless of party you are allowed to vote and is an open primary state and while it will be a small sampling it is expected to whittle down the large field of GOP candidates. And the recent uproar over lead in the water in Flint Michigan once again highlights too many voters that government leaders are incompetent and why this is the year of the outsider and disrupter when it comes to the candidates connecting with voters.
And on the Democratic Party side Hillary Clinton is being dogged by Sen. Bernie Sanders who is possible doing an Obama on her. Since he raised some $33 million in thousands of small donations for his campaign who is defying the party’s political establishment and his take on Wall Street attitude that no bank should be “too big to fail.” And Sanders is attacking Clinton on her and her husband’s ties to Wall Street and some of Bill’s hefty speaking fees for the Clinton Foundation and Trump has been attacking the former president for his past peccadillos with women since Bill is starting to campaign for her.
>>> For all the presidential candidates, the rubber meets the road in Iowa caucuses Feb.1, followed by Feb. 9th New Hampshire primary, large GOP field expected to get whittled down
With the New Year the political primaries are coming up in a month and polling shows a wide gulf between candidates though Hillary Clinton on the Democratic Party side is pulling ahead of Bernie Sanders (who raised a whopping $33 million) and when it comes to the GOP’s pack of candidates brash business man Donald Trump is still tracking high in the polls but the real question is how will he do in these first primaries in Iowa Feb. 1 and Feb. 9th in New Hampshire and former Gov. Jeb Bush is stalled in the polls and is still being overshadowed by Trump, and senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. And with Super Tuesday on March 1. The pack of Republican candidates is expected to be whittled down to a smaller number and had Lindsey Graham dropping out recently.
http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-presidential-primary-schedule-calendar/ here is US Today pollinghttp://www.usatoday.com/pages/interactives/poll-tracker-2016/ on the race.
>>>Open enrollment has begun for the Florida Prepaid College program, ends Feb.29th is a real education bargain for Floridians
The Florida Prepaid College Program has open enrollment that ends Feb. 29th and the college savings program is one of the most successful and largest in the nation and was the brain child of former municipal mayor Stanley G. Tate, and now U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,R-Miami and the Florida legislature named the program in Tate’s honor a few years ago and a host of elected leaders with children are enrolled in the college savings program and has been a major educational driver throughout Florida. http://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/
>>> Press release: PRESIDENT OF MIAMI-BASED TRANSPORTATION COMPANY CONVICTED IN $70 MILLION HEALTH CARE FRAUD SCHEME
The president of a Miami-based transportation company was convicted today for his role in a health care fraud scheme involving three mental health centers based in Miami that resulted in the submission of approximately $70 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Division and Special Agent in Charge Shimon Richmond of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
Damian Mayol, 43, of Miami, was convicted after five-day trial of one count of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
According to evidence presented at trial, Mayol was the president of Transportation Services Providers Inc., a transportation company based in Miami. The evidence showed that Mayol and his co-conspirators used the company to coordinate the payment of illegal health care kickbacks to recruiters, who in return referred patients to three now-defunct clinics in the Miami area: R&S Community Mental Health Inc. (R&S), St. Theresa Community Mental Health Center Inc. (St. Theresa) and New Day Community Mental Health Center LLC (New Day).
The evidence introduced at trial further established that R&S, St. Theresa and New Day were community mental health centers that purported to provide intensive mental health services to Medicare beneficiaries. On behalf of the recruited beneficiaries, the centers billed Medicare for costly partial hospitalization program (PHP) services that were not medically necessary or not provided to patients. Patient records, including group therapy session notes, were falsified to support claims for reimbursement from Medicare. Between January 2008 and December 2010, the centers submitted approximately $70 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $28 million on those claims, the evidence showed.
In October 2015, co-defendants Santiago Borges, Erik Alonso and Cristina Alonso pleaded guilty to related charges and were sentenced in December 2015 to prison terms ranging from 28 months to 120 months.
The case was investigated by the FBI and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Trial Attorneys A. Brendan Stewart and Timothy Loper of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged over 2,300 defendants who collectively have billed the Medicare program for over $7 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to: www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
>>> Four Miami-Dade Residents Indicted for Participation in Fraud Schemes
Press release: Four Miami-Dade residents have been indicted for their participation in various schemes to defraud the United States government.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Shimon Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Pam Bondi, Florida Attorney General, Margaret Moore-Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, and Linda M. Swacina, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), made the announcement. Fernando Mendez Villamil, 48, of South Miami, Maritza Exposito, 57, of Miami, Arnaldo Oscar Jimenez, 57, of Hialeah, and Yomara Vila, 45, of Miami were charged in a twenty-one count indictment for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, the United States Social Security Administration (“SSA”), and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). The defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, substantive counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and make false statements with respect to immigration matters, conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claim, theft of government funds, false statements to SSA, and making false statements with respect to immigration matters.
The indictment alleges that the defendants submitted and caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid, made false and fraudulent statements and representations to the SSA regarding the medical treatment and condition of SSA disability benefits applicants and recipients, and made false and fraudulent statements and representations to USCIS regarding the status, medical treatment, and medical condition of applicants for immigration benefits.
The indictment alleges multiple types of fraudulent practices occurred at the Miami-Dade medical office of Fernando Mendez Villamil, a State of Florida licensed psychiatrist authorized to provide health care services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The defendants, in exchange for money, offered to aid and aided others to fraudulently apply for and receive SSA disability benefits. Defendant Villamil provided individuals false and fraudulent diagnoses of debilitating psychiatric conditions so that the individuals could fraudulently obtain SSA disability benefits, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
The indictment also alleges that the defendants submitted or caused the submission of false statements with respect to a material fact in applications and documents required by immigration laws and regulations, which contained false statements with respect to a material fact, namely medical certifications for disability exceptions to the English and or civic requirements to the U.S. Naturalization process. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force and participating partners, including HHS-OIG, SSA-OIG, the State of Florida’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, ICE-HSI, and USCIS. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric E. Morales and Special Assistant United States Attorney Hagerenesh Simmons. An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
>>> Ros-Lehtinen Announces New Administration of Congressional Offices
>>>PAST WDR Press release: U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL – 27) announced that her longtime Chief of Staff, Arthur “Art” Estopiñan, will retire and has been named Senior Advisor to Ros-Lehtinen effective January 1, 2016 to ensure a smooth transition of administration. South Florida natives Maytee Sanz, previously Deputy Chief of Staff, will be promoted to Chief of Staff and Joshua Salpeter, previously Legislative Director, will serve as DC Chief of Staff as of January 1, 2016.
Statement by Ros-Lehtinen: “Art has been a trusted counselor, leader, and an important member of my Congressional staff for over 25 years. Art’s hard work and dedication to South Florida are well known by our community leaders and his contributions to mentoring and guiding staff and interns have earned him much respect throughout his years on the Hill. Art’s grace in the face of adversity has inspired us all and his leadership in our office will be missed. I know he will be pursuing a new and exciting chapter in his life and I wish him, his wife, Olga, and their son, Arturito, all the very best.
I am also excited for what the future holds. I know that Maytee, Joshua, and my entire team capture the essence of public service. They are consummate professionals who know the demands of the jobs they are taking on and relish their duties. My office will continue to work hard for our South Florida community to ensure that our residents have access to the very best constituent service and that their voices are heard on Capitol Hill.”
Statement by Estopiñan: “I am extremely grateful to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for the incredible opportunity that she has afforded me these many years by allowing me to serve as her Chief of Staff. It has been an honor and pleasure to work for her and serve South Florida with her unique energy and commitment to help build a better community and country. Now, the time has come for me to move forward to the next 20 years of my life in the private sector. While this is a challenge, it is one I am looking forward to. It will allow me to enter a new phase of life where I can provide for my family, particularly raising a severely disabled child who has a rare genetic muscular disease. “BACKGROUND: Maytee Sanz, a Miami native, previously served as Deputy Chief of Staff. Prior to that, she was District Director for Ros-Lehtinen and has served the Congresswoman for over 25 years. Sanz will be responsible for all functions of Ros-Lehtinen’s Congressional offices. She is a graduate of South Florida’s Nova Southeastern University. Joshua Salpeter, a Palmetto Bay native, previously served as Legislative Director. Prior to that, he was a Senior Legislative Assistant for the Congresswoman. Salpeter will be responsible for the operations of Ros-Lehtinen’s Washington, DC office and will serve in an advisory capacity on legislative issues. He is a graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High and the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
FLORIDA
>>> How wild will the Florida Legislative session be this year, $1.3 billion in revenue in dispute over $79.3 billion budget?
With the Florida Legislative session beginning this week leaders have yet to agree on what the state’s new budget figure is and there is a $635 million variance on what the final budget will be. But Gov. Rick Scott based his budget on having $79.3 billion in revenue, but $1.3 billion of that is being disputed by state economists and Scott wants to give $1 billion in tax cuts and $250 million for Enterprise Florida to lure companies to the Sunshine State. But Republican legislators are likely to have their own priorities and for more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article46024695.html http://www.fl-counties.com/docs/default-source/2015-Advocacy/sfy-2016-governor’s-proposed-budget-narrative.pdf?sfvrsn=0
And Scott is taking a road trip around Florida during the session and will be absent from the Capital and while the trip is to promote jobs, politically he should spend his time in the capital if he wants to impact the state’s finale budget and the initiatives he is pushing.
>>>> Senators Margolis & Diaz de la Portilla will not compete for the same senate seat
Sen. Gwen Margolis, D-Miami on Friday told the Watchdog Report she is going to run for the Florida Senate seat that includes Aventura. Where she has previously lived and ran for the District in the past, until she moved to Coconut Grove a few years ago. And she was the first woman Florida Senate President and she was instrumental in creating the Florida Sunshine open records law back in1995 and set a new standard when it comes to transparency in local government. And she will not have to run against Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami as the new redistricting maps might require she told me.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
Mayor Gimenez wades into politically turbulent waters with idea for ferry’s to Cuba contract, repression is not less since Obama rapprochement
Mayor Carlos Gimenez is trying to strike a delicate balnce with the announcement of his desire to have a company operate a ferry sevice from Miami to Cuba, and he is arguing this is just a contract with a company. And they determine where they go as long as it is legal but the matter is getting blowback from the Cuban exile community who note the repression in Cuba has not gotten less since the opening of relations and Cubans are continuing to flee from the Communist Nation given the new rapprochement with the United States and the Obama administration and is another wrinkle to the issue is how Cuba got its hands on a Hellfire missile one of our nations higher tech weapon systems that use lasers for accuracy. And the Obama administration is having no luck getting the dummy missile back. And this issue could bleed into his reelection campaign given the sensitivity of the issue. And for more go to http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article53601980.html
GMCVB press release: During the months of January – November 2015, Miami-Dade County’s reported collections for the 3% Convention Development Tax (CDT) collections for Greater Miami (excluding Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 9.5% compared to the same time last year, while the 2% Tourist Development Tax (TDT) for Greater Miami (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 8.4% compared to the same time in 2014. The 2% Hotel Food and Beverage Tax collections from hotels in Miami-Dade (excluding Miami Beach, Bal Harbour and Surfside) showed an increase of 8.1% compared to the same time last year.
| Record January – November Miami-Dade County Tax Collections | ||
| 3% Convention Development Tax | ||
| January – November 2015 | January – November 2014 | % Change vs. 2014 |
| $70,984,011 | $64,837,458 | +9.5% |
| 2% Tourist Development Tax | ||
| January – November 2015 | January – November 2014 | % Change vs. 2014 |
| $23,788,345 | $21,935,717 | +8.4% |
| 2% Hotel Food & Beverage Tax | ||
| January – November 2015 | January – November 2014 | % Change vs. 2014 |
| $7,291,576 | $6,747,254 | +8.1% |
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
>>> Health trust will be looking for trustees in near future, only the best of the best need apply to be on seven member oversight board, $830 million GOB oversight board looking for trustees as well
The Public HealthTrust Nominating Council is meeting and is expected to be running an ad soon asking for residents to apply to be on the seven member oversight board that looks after the health trust system and is currently a much more nimble board then when it was 18 members years ago, but County Commissioners reduced the board’s size and under the leadership of Carlos Migoya alongside with the unions and major concessions from them the trust has operate the organization in the black the last three years after years of hemorrhaging red ink to the tune of a $84 million loss back in 20003.
And the $830 million GOB bond oversight board is looking for trustees as well and if you have skills in construction consider applying here http://www.jacksonhealth.org/jackson-bond-program-CAC.asp#2
CITY OF MIAMI
>>> Commissioners & Mayor expected to meet with new UM President Julio Frenk, M.D. to discuss city related issues
Julio Frenk, M.D. the soon to be new president of the university of Miami and will be inaugurated into office on Jan. 29th has been on a listening tour as he settles into his new role and the physician and public health maven is having a public Sunshine meeting with City of Miami Commissioners and probable the Mayor Tomas Regalado to discuss “the City’s relationship with UM, and issues relative to the City” states the public meeting notice since multiple Miami Commissioners are expected to be there at the 10:00 a.m. public meeting in the Mayor’s conference room at Dinner Key on Jan. 15, meeting and the university’s main hospital sits squarely in the heart of the Miami Health District next to Jackson Memorial Hospital that has an over sixty year history affiliation with the University’s Miller Medical School and U health is a significant part of the university located in Coral Gables and for more on Dr. Frenk and was the former dean of faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. And for more go to http://president.miami.edu/http://news.miami.edu/stories/2015/08/on-um-global-connectivity-and-the-future.html
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
>>> County Commissioner Barreiro will gives residents updates at TMBC, has served on 13 member body since 1990s
Miami-Dade county Commissioner Bruno Barreiro is Tuesday’s speaker at the Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club and the county commissioner has represented Commission District 5 since the mid-1990s when he won a special election after Miami-Dade County Commissioner Bruce Kaplan was arrested for mortgage fraud and resigned in a plea deal. http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/bruce-kaplans-big-heart-6360465 And Barreiro jokes about how shy he was back then though he spent one term in the Florida house and he ran for the open commission District 5 seat and he has been reelected ever since. And for more on Kaplan’s arrest go to https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1291&dat=19980317&id=L0hUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NI4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5040,270694&hl=en >>> Meeting Date: Meeting Time: 8:30 AM Meeting Place: Manolo’s Restaurant, 7th and Washington Ave., South Beach– First Breakfast Club meeting of the New Year. We will be taking a look back at the accomplishments of 2015 and a look forward at the challenges of 2016.Bruno Barreiro, County Commissioner for District 5 (which includes Miami Beach), will be the guest speaker at David Kelsey, Moderator. Visit our web site at www.MBTMBC.com (Miami Beach Tuesday Morning Breakfast Club).
Press release: Sea Level Rise committee meetings at City of Miami, UM Prof Wanless. I would appreciate your involvement. I have informally requested the involvement of Walter Meyer, ASLA, LEED-AP, Adjunct Prof. Parsons New School, and Local Office Landscape Architecture WMBE. I will be sharing materials and putting in the formal request for him to present during the upcoming committee meeting. He has worked on resilience urban planning in support of managing sea level rise, storm mitigation with the use of natural systems. Here is a few links to some of his work. I suggest focusing on the work he has done in the Rockaways, NY, the Double Dune Forest and Mayaguez, PR. http://www.localofficelandscape.com/projects/ His most recent work is related to Long Beach, NY and is very similar to what we are seeing here in Miami with sea level rise and storm surge mitigation. That said, the last few meetings have had dismal turn out. I want to make sure that the community at large is involved with the development of this committee and its findings. They will be bringing forth suggestions and proclamations to the commission. The public’s involvement is key. Please consider sharing this with anyone you know who might be interested in attending.
The meetings are held in the main chamber, so there is plenty of room for participation. In the last Committee meeting, Harvey Ruvin and Suzanne Torriente spoke. Both spoke well and sparked a sense of hope that things are turning in the right direction. If you attend, they can give you details on how to get meeting notes and transcripts of previous meetings. They are in the process of setting up a dedicated website to host all information related to the Sea Level Rise Committee meetings.
The committee attended a planning session yesterday. I was scheduled to attend, but I had a schedule conflict. I am certain the will bring forward what came from the planning meeting. I will be at the Monday meeting and request details. I hope that all of you can be involved, if not share with your network so that we can garner a good turnout. We need public engagement on this issue. Please see Ajani Stewart’s meeting reminder below. Thank you all. Wrote: Albert Gomez, South Florida Resilience System
This is a reminder that the City Miami Sea Level Rise Committee next meets on Monday January 11, at 6 PM in the Miami City Hall Commission Chambers. Speaking before the Committee this month is Dr. Harold Wanless, Professor and Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences at University of Miami. We look forward to you joining us if you are able to attend.
CITY OF NORTH MIAMI BEACH
>>> North Miami Beach Resident Pleads Guilty for his Participation in a Stolen Identity Tax Fraud Scheme
Press release: A North Miami Beach resident pled guilty for his participation in a stolen identity tax fraud scheme. Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Rafiq Ahmad, Special Agent in Charge, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations Miami Office (DOL-OIG), Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), and J. Scott Dennis, Chief, North Miami Beach Police Department (NMBPD), made the announcement.
Daiman Williams, 23, pled guilty to one count of possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1). At sentencing, Williams faces a maximum statutory sentence of ten years in prison for the access device charge, and a mandatory term of two years’ imprisonment, consecutive to any other prison term, for the aggravated identity theft charge.
According to court documents, on or about January 18, 2013, a state probation compliance check was performed on Williams at his residence in North Miami Beach, FL. During the compliance check of Williams’ residence, officers found a Toshiba laptop that contained a list of personal identifying information (PII). A forensic examination of the laptop revealed a series of documents containing over two thousand (2,000) pieces of PII, which included the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth for hundreds of school teachers and medical patients. In addition, credit reports, tax returns, and other miscellaneous PII were found in the laptop. Further investigation revealed that several of the individuals identified from the laptop had been victims of identity theft related to the fraudulent filing of their federal income tax returns.
On or about August 26, 2014, another state probation compliance check was performed on Williams at his residence. In connection with the compliance check, law enforcement searched Williams’ phone and found a video of the defendant holding a firearm and then storing the firearm in the trunk of a white Lexus vehicle. The vehicle was found in the driveway of Williams’ residence. Officers opened the trunk of the vehicle and discovered the firearm, ammunition and PII for more than 50 individuals, including names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of homeowners’ insurance applications and completed income tax forms. The intended loss to the government was $643,205. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on March 17, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. before United States District Judge Federico A. Moreno. Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DEO, and the NMBPD. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miesha Shonta Darrough. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
>>>. Press release: Miami-Dade County Resident Sentenced In Connection With Aircraft Parts Ponzi scheme
A Miami-Dade County resident was sentenced by United States District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in Miami to 38 months imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for organizing and engaging in a fraudulent investment scheme in South Florida. Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Robert C. Hutchinson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), and J.D. Patterson, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement.
On August 7, 2015, Anthony Lazaro Saumell, 45, of Doral, was convicted by a jury of seven counts of wire fraud. According to documents and statements made in court, Saumell organized and engaged in a complex fraudulent investment scheme to defraud investors in South Florida. Saumell deceived victims into investing approximately $3.9 million dollars into his company, Gear Management Corporation. Victims were told their investment would be used to purchase aircraft parts which would then be sold for a profit. Saumell guaranteed victims a ten percent profit within thirty days but subsequently used the incoming investments to pay other investors or on his personal expenses, such as jewelry, dining, alimony, private school and art galleries. By October 2013, Saumell had spent all of the investors’ funds and Gear Management Corporation became insolvent. Investors suffered approximately $1 million dollars in losses.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI and MDPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gera Peoples and AUSA Daya Nathan.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
PALM BEACH COUNTY
>>> Palm Beach County Resident Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for his Role in Massive Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud Scheme
Press release: Lukner Blanc, 33, of Royal Palm Beach, was sentenced to 192 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay joint and several restitution in the amount of $733,563 for his role in a massive identity theft tax refund fraud scheme.
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office, and Amos Rojas, Jr., United States Marshals, United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force, made the announcement.
After a ten day trial, Blanc and co-defendant Benoit Placide, a/k/a “Snow,” a/k/a “Mario,” 27, of West Palm Beach, were each convicted of conspiracy to receive, conceal or retain monies stolen from the United States, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Blanc was also convicted of receiving, concealing and retaining monies stolen from the United States. On October 5, 2015, co-conspirator Benoit Placide was sentenced to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay joint and several restitution in the amount of $742,955.
At trial, the government presented evidence that the federal investigation began with the arrest of Blanc, on October 29, 2012, for an unrelated state crime. Agents recovered four bank debit cards out of Blanc’s pants pocket, all in the names of other persons. While incarcerated in the state case, Blanc made recorded calls from the Palm Beach County Jail. Based on information obtained during the course of the monitored and recorded jail calls, law enforcement officials obtained a state search warrant for the residence of co-conspirator Jean Juste, a/k/a “Junior,” a/k/a “Shorty,” 26, of West Palm Beach. Inside Juste’s residence, agents discovered items used to facilitate identity theft crimes, including computers, more than sixty-nine Western Union debit cards, lists of employers, and the names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth of various individuals. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned that Blanc and Juste were associates in the identity theft fraud scheme, alongside co-conspirator Placide.
During the course of the identity theft fraud scheme investigation federal agents obtained additional warrants to search the computers recovered from Juste’s residence. Forensic examinations of the computers revealed that more than 1,000 fraudulent federal personal income tax returns had been filed using the operating system. The returns were submitted over the internet to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) using TaxHawk.com and TurboTax. Co-conspirators of the fraud scheme opened bank accounts in Florida, in order receive the fraudulently obtained federal income tax refunds.
The co-conspirators attempted to obtain more than $1,200,000 in fraudulent, unauthorized income tax refunds. As a result of the fraudulent scheme, the government was induced to pay out more than $730,000 in unauthorized refunds that were later determined to have been filed by the co-conspirators and not the legitimate taxpayers. The co-conspirators received the fraudulent tax refund payments, which were sent to bank accounts and pre-paid debit cards they controlled. After the fraudulent refunds were sent by wire transfer to the bank accounts and debit cards, the defendants and their co-conspirators withdrew the funds at automatic teller machines (ATMs) and point of sale electronic terminals at various retail establishments.
Co-conspirator Jean Juste previously pled guilty to conspiracy, theft of government funds, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. On February 17, 2015, Juste was sentenced to 84 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $668,947 for his participation in the conspiracy.
Co-conspirator Shelda Phadael, 29, of Lake Worth, previously pled guilty to conspiracy and theft of government funds. On May 29, 2015, Phadel was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,327.
Co-Conspirators Marie Claude, 27, of Lantana, and Marie Demesyeux, 31, of Lake Worth, previously pled guilty. On April 16, 2015, both defendants were sentenced to time served.
Co-conspirator Frank Fleuzinord, 30, of Cape Coral, is a fugitive.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of IRS-CI, the United States Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Carlton.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
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Editorials
>>> Public institutions need to remember baby boomers not as nimble with technology as young folk’s small font a nightmare for some
There is not just a digital divide, but a widening technological gap as baby boomers get older and are expected to be more capable of their computer skills, despite having some medical issue like a stroke and public institutions are moving faster with this new technology leaving many people behind, who may or not have a smart phone that was first introduced Jan. 9th 2007 by Steve Jobs and the Apple iPhone and while young people have no problem with all this technology that is likely not the case if you are in your sixties where reading small font requires a magnifying glass and public institutions as they rush to embrace this technology that they need to remember that for some people they may need some help navigating it and catching up to speed of this technological revolution.
>>> One of Watchdog Report’s main missions is to keep watch on all the host of Trust’s in Miami-Dade and involve some serious public money in the billions
Residents in Miami-Dade County periodically ask why I cover all the trust’s found in the county, from the Children’s Trust to the Public Health Trust to the County’s Homeless Trust and it is because elected county leaders are always looking for new funds and while the raids of these public dollars periodically occurs like in the case of the Citizens Independent Transit Trust where the county is slowly paying back the sales tax dollars absorbed by the county’s transit system in what was called “unification,” by county leaders but the Public Health Trust was also raided back in 20002 when county commissioners shifted some $ 70 million in unfunded mandates on to organization and that cost has risen over $100 million a year and was one of the reasons the Public health trust needed a $830 million GOB passed overwhelmingly by voters a few Years back to upgrade its infrastructure and ageing main campus after this past money was diverted over a decade by the County commission that does provide some $250 million in public funds for a maintenance of effort contribution. But in Miami-Dade where everything is political I keep watch so that these organizations are kept whole and politics is kept to a minimum and this oversight helps keep the organizations on the straight and narrow when it comes to public dollars and it is no small amount of money and helps explain why there have been so few scandals in the past that plaque the county back in the 1990’s and a frequent topic in the media.
LETTERS
>>> A Reader on danger of yellow pole barriers on 195, and sign petition asking FDOT to modify polls https://www.change.org/p/florida-department-of-transportation-change-i95-plastic-poles-to-unable-movement-in-and-out-of-the-express-lanes
>>> Great story on the Pets’ Trust. I’d love to speak with you and tell you more. You are right…..it will be an issue in the Mayor’s race.
Please watch this… Pets’ Trust…the Story password is movie
And read this…….. http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/joe-cardona/article2087823.html
Michael Rosenberg
President Pets’ Trust
Rita Schwartz Cofounder
>>> And another reader sent the following the shocking truth about Miami-Dade Animal Services, http://www.animalliberationfront.com/ALFront/Actions-USA/MiamiAnimalServices.htm
DR
Coconut Grove
>>> The Watchdog Report is Celebrating 16 years of weekly publishing since May 5th 2000 and when I started back then I never thought I would be doing this so
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog. And while I have taken a licking over the years including some medical issues I have kept at the job thanks to my supporters who I thank so very much over the many years. And the community’s public institutions are better when it comes to them knowing what the other is doing and why I have tried to be an information electrolyte for these giant institution’s leaders and things and here is a national story done on why I started to watch government back in 2000 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog and to all the people along the way that have helped me I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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>>> Public, Educational & Social institutions – subscribers at $1,000 or less
CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC. www.camillushouse.org
CITY OF MIAMI www.miamigov.com.
CITY OF CORAL GABLES www.coralgables.com
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MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD www.dadeschools.net
MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPT. http://superintendent.dadeschools.net/
MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY www.miamidda.com
PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST & JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM www.jhsmiami.org
THE BEACON COUNCIL www.beaconcouncil.com
THE CHILDREN’S TRUST www.thechildrenstrust.org
THE GOOD GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE http://goodgov.net/
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>>> Publisher’s Statement on the mission of the Watchdog Report and the special people and organizations that make it possible: Government Subscribers/Corporate Subscribers/Sustaining Sponsors/Supporting Sponsors the Watchdog Report covers a few of the meetings attended weekly. It remains my belief that an informed public will make better decisions. Therefore, I go to meetings, make the presence of an informed citizen known, and bring the information to you. The Watchdog Report is in the fourth year of publication and it has been an honor to be able to send this information to you. It is sent to readers in Miami-Dade, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The Watchdog Report is sent to thousands free and while readers have been prodded to subscribe the results have been mixed. Over 250 reports and Extras have been sent since May 5, 2000 and over one million words have been written on our community’s governments and events. The report is an original work based on information gathered at public meetings, interviews and from documents in the public domain. I welcome letters via e-mail. Letters may be edited for length or clarity and must refer to material published in the Watchdog Report. Please see address and contact information. Please send any additions and corrections by e-mail, fax or snail mail. All corrections will be published in the next Watchdog Report. If you or your organization would like to publish the contents of this newsletter, please contact me. Please send your request to watchdogreport1@earthlink.net
Daniel A. Ricker
Publisher & Editor
Watchdog Report
Est. 05.05.00
Copyright © of original material, 2016, Daniel A. Ricker
>>> The Miami Herald and Orlando Sentinel & Sun-Sentinel articles on the Watchdog Report publisher over the years.
Published on September 9, 1999, Page 1EA, Miami Herald, the (FL)
CITIZEN ADVOCATE’ KEEPS TABS ON POLITICIANS
Published on January 3, 2000, Page 1B, Miami Herald, the (FL)
MIAMI-DADE WATCHDOG WILL BE MISSED
Published on January 20, 2003, Page 1E, Orlando Sentinel, PAPERWORK TIGER, Miami’s citizen watchdog piles up government files in his quest to keep the “little people” informed. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2003-01-20/news/0301190045_1_ricker-miami-watchdog
>>>Watchdog Report publisher named ‘Best Citizen’ 2003 by the Miami New Times
The publisher would like to thank the weekly alternative paper Miami New Times for bestowing their 2003 Best of Miami, ‘Best Citizen’ award to me and I am honored. Thank you. To read the full story go to http://www.miaminewtimes.com/best-of/2003/people-and-places/best-citizen-6399517
From the spring of 2003: U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill: Southeast U.S. Media Report lists Watchdog Report publisher as leading Florida commentator >>> Selected excerpts from the report on Florida’s media sources-Those who do read the newspaper in Florida have a bevy of options for state government and political coverage. The dominant newspapers in the state are Knight-Ridder’s The Miami Herald (Acquired by the McClatchy Company in 2006) and the Poynter Institute’s St. Petersburg Times. Both papers endorsed Gore in 2000 but split on the 2002 gubernatorial race, with the Herald endorsing Republican incumbent Jeb Bush and the Times backing Democratic challenger Bill McBride. Daniel Ricker of The Miami Herald also writes an influential column as well as an email newsletter called the Watchdog Report that goes out to more than 100,000 subscribers. FEBRUARY 2004 – Florida: Columnists in Abundance —ERIC GAUTSCHI, graduate student, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, UNC-Chapel Hill – D) LEADING COMMENTATORS – Resource Commentator Organization Type Web site –Steve Bousquet St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/bousquet.shtml -“First Friday” WPBT TV (Miami) TV Show www.channel2.org/firstfriday/issues.html –Lucy Morgan St. Petersburg Times Column www.sptimes.com/columns/morgan.shtml –Daniel Ricker Miami Herald/Watchdog Report Newsletter –www.miami.com/mld/MiamiHerald/news/columnists/dan_ricker/
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