Watchdog Report Vol.16 No. 37 January 15, 2016 EST.05.05.00 I go when you cannot – Celebrating 16 Years of weekly publishing

>>> The Watchdog Report publisher would like to thank the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org for funding by the Knight Foundation with technical support from the Knight Center www.knightfoundation.org   to maintain my webpage. The Watchdog Report webpage is free, has no pops-up and is just the news in a mainstream reporting manner.

>>>> 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

>>> And may you and your family have a reflective Rev. Dr. martin Luther King, Jr. holday Monday.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the street

>>> Out of the blue Frost Science Museum runs out of money, Mayor Gimenez comes up with creative financing package to finish mega project

The sixth Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce South Florida Economic Summit was held Wednesday at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, at Jungle Island and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez was one of the featured speakers and he is bullish on South Florida and many of the initiatives his administration is promoting but it is not all smooth sailing.

With the announcement the feds are targeting south Florida all cash mega real estate deals many times in the tens of millions and federal authorities want to make sure this is not drug money laundering looking for a safe investment in the United States and the activity has artificially long fueled the South Florid economy. Since America buys some $18 billion in drugs from a number of South American Countries http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9770.html And this new initiative is expected to cool some of the all cash deals that have been flourishing in the real estate market and will slow housing costs in the coming months.

What about the Frost museum of Science over run?

Gillian Thomas, the CEO of the Philip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science first came into the public arena back in 2003, when she demanded The Miami-Dade County Commission float a bond for the iconic museum and planetarium and the shocked commissioners back then included Commissioner Dennis Moss (who was visible annoyed at the demand). And Moss asked exactly who she was and she got off to a rocky start.http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article54413910.html but did get $165 million in funding in a countywide GOB for the new facility.

However, since then I have had other experiences with Gillian including when she attended internal budget meetings at the county called resource allocation meetings (RAM) and at one of these.Thomas was pushing for the county to release more convention development tourism tax money that would help cover day to day expenses and the way the deal was structured with the county. The press was not allowed to attend any of the board’s meetings and scrutiny by the County’s Inspector General was excluded from the proceedings. And Michael Spring was the liaison on the project and when I kept asking about the project. Spring always assured me all was going well, which clearly is not the case and this lack of any early warning is what could put Spring in a bind and Mayor Carlos Gimenez Wednesday said the “County is looking at the terms of the agreement,” he told the Watchdog Report. And he noted it “was not a county project,” though the Frost Museum did get some $165 million from a 2004 GOB passed by county voters. And that money was used to get the project going but has been spent and this lack of a heads up of fiscal problems is what has the Watchdog Report upset and should have been flagged months before, but all was kept under wraps and the organization’s board should have been out in front of this issue rather than suddenly it coming on the public and elected leaders radar screens and getting this approved by the county commission will be no easy task and terms like blindsided are likely to be heard during the discussion on a new funding arrangement so that here is not a partially completed project that is about two thirds done. And for more on Gillian go to http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/print-edition/2014/10/10/gillian-thomas-on-devoting-her-life-to-science.html

>>> Past WDR April 2012: The Frost Science Museum is also relying on private donations to augment the $165 million that is financed by the county’s GOB bonds for the new cutting edge design costing $275 million and includes the Frost donation of $35 million and $10 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org and there is “$25 million in transitional costs,” in the future said senior staff. Executive Director Gillian Thomas, first hired in 2003 and she has been a persistent advocate of a new museum and leaving the much smaller site in Coconut Grove that was once part of Historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens that is located across the street. And she once carped at a county commission meeting back then that the museum would strike out on their own with a proposed bond, but held off after the organization was included in the massive bond program approved by voters in 2004. For more on the project got to: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/23/2658056/new-science-museum-to-break-ground.html

What about the Frost Science museum?

The Frost Science Museum is also relying on private donations to augment the $165 million that is financed by the county’s GOB bonds for the new cutting edge design costing $275 million and includes the Frost donation of $35 million and $10 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation www.knightfoundation.org and there is “$25 million in transitional costs,” in the future said senior staff. Executive Director Gillian Thomas, first hired in 2003 has been a persistent advocate of a new museum and leaving the much smaller site in Coconut Grove that was once part of Historic Vizcaya Museum and Gardens that is located across the street. And she once carped at a county commission meeting back then that the museum would strike out on their own with a proposed bond, but held off after the organization was included in the massive bond program approved by voters in 2004. For more on the project and its problems got to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article54413910.html

What about the GOP presidential campaign debate?

Thursday’s GOP candidate debate was a raucous affair and centered on sharp exchanges from Donald Trump and Sens Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Ted Cruz, R- TX and Crist Christy and Jeb Bush are still in the campaign weeds and have yet to have a breakout performance on the less crowded stage of seven candidates and people are wondering if Trump is sucking up all the campaign oxygen with his take no prisoners and blunt talk about issues on many people’s minds. Since many believe he cannot be bought given his billions but in this past debate his performance is getting better and once the elections start the field will quickly thin and Bush and Rubio have to do well if they are to stay relevant in the race.

And the Democratic Party candidates are debating tonight and Hillary Clinton still has Sen. Bernie Sanders in her rearview mirror and he is still rising in the polls and Clinton is considered the establishment candidate in a year being part of the political establishment is not always a resume builder. 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. 9^th 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. 9^th 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.29^th is a real education bargain for Floridians

The Florida Prepaid College Program has open enrollment that ends Feb. 29^th 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: Donald Trump Loses a Terrible GOP Debate By: John Zogby Forbes.com Contributor

Actually we all lost the GOP debate Thursday night. The event went a full 71 minutes before any substance was discussed. We suffered embarrassing exchanges between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz on natural born citizenship. That one lasted far too long but Cruz got the better of it. He dismissed Trump’s charges as false and came back with a previously unknown fact that Trump’s mother was Scottish and a better known fact that Trump never raised the “birther” issue on Cruz until the polls between the two actually tightened. A stupid rejoinder to a stupid issue. Judging by the audience’s response, Trump received a lot of boos on this one. Point for Cruz.

The second bout of stupidity was an exchange between Marco Rubio and Chris Christie. To be fair, a candidate cannot always control what one of its support PACs say in a commercial, but Rubio honestly supported the charges that Christie was an Obama-like liberal because he allegedly “wrote a check for Planned Parenthood” as well as supported gun control and Common Core. Christie was able to deftly dismiss these charges and the factual record is on Christie’s side.Please click on the link below to view the full release: http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/696-donald-trump-loses-a-terrible-gop-debate

>>> 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

>>> Will CEO of Enterprise Florida Johnson’s lavish lifestyle bleed into Gov. Scott’s quest of $250 million for luring companies to the Sunshine state?

With the Florida Legislature in session Gov. Rick Scott is taking a jobs road trip around the state rather than staying in the capital trying to pass a $1 billion tax cut, and injecting $250 million in to Enterprise Florida. But it’s new director Bill Johnson, the former Miami-Dade County Port Director and considered a bon vivant has caused controversy and for more on that go to http://www.fox13news.com/news/fox-13-investigates/45041560-story

And given the political feelings lawmakers feel for Scott this issue is likely to come up and impact Scott’s desire for this mega funding request for Enterprise 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.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Why was there no heads–up on fiscal problems at Frost Science Museum? With $165 million in bond funds public has a right to know how this occurred and role of Gillian Thomas?

Mayor Carlos Gimenez has another headache on his hands with the sudden announcement in the Miami Herald that the Phillip and Patricia Frost Science Museum organization had run out of money when they failed to get a significant construction loan and the complex magnificent structure is two-thirds done and Gimenez whose cultural maven is Michael Spring and was the representative attending the board’s meeting. And the press and County IG were all excluded from these internal meetings and Spring when I asked how it was going always said ‘fine,” but now we know that was not quite true and the project reminds me of the Arsht Center, delayed by 20 months and needing some almost $100 million back in Aug. 2004 and that was first broke in a WDR back then and the PAC board members were worried “it will get out,” and I sent out a WDR EXTRA at the time and the members saw it was out on their blackberries devices back then.

>>>> County Commission Moss honors R and B 1960s soul band The Impressions, performers have South Dade connection, Commissioner Dennis Moss notes.

The soul band The Impressions was honored by the Miami-Dade County Commission through Commissioner Dennis Moss and the legendary soul RB group had a host of hits and for more on the go tohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impressions https://www.google.com/search?q=the+impressions&rlz=1C2CHWA_enUS626US671&biw=1821&bih=870&tbm=isch&imgil=UIId7OdyKCWDOM%253A%253B1iJUbkvzk41bMM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Facerecords.co.uk%25252Fthe-definitive-impressions&source=iu&pf=m&fir=UIId7OdyKCWDOM%253A%252C1iJUbkvzk41bMM%252C_&dpr=0.75&usg=__D3IJmUzUz6QDCDHbnDeNa87h1Ao%3D&ved=0ahUKEwisxZTQuK_KAhVLTSYKHZETDCAQyjcIeg&ei=cMyaVqzNNMuamQGRp7CAAg#imgrc=UIId7OdyKCWDOM%3A&usg=__D3IJmUzUz6QDCDHbnDeNa87h1Ao%3D

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>> A uninsured patient needing a transplant dies after Jackson Health would not accept a patient needing a lung transplant into its transplant program for a variety of reasons and while a heartbreaking story it also highlights the complexity of getting healthcare in Florida and to read the story go tohttp://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article54985205.html

>>> 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

>>>> What is going on with Scott’s hospital price gouging study?

Press release: Governor Scott’s Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding to Discuss Healthcare Quality and Price Transparency at Final Meeting

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Tuesday, January 19, the Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding will host its final meeting in Tallahassee to continue the examination of healthcare pricing and quality at Florida hospitals. The Commission will also discuss their final observations.

WHAT:	Meeting of the Commission on Healthcare and Hospital Funding
WHEN:	Tuesday, January 19 at 9:00 AM
WHERE:	Capitol Building Cabinet Meeting Room 400 South Monroe Street Tallahassee, FL 32399

The following attendees will be making presentations at the meeting:George A. Nation, J.D., Professor, Lehigh University;Betsy McCaughey, Ph.D, Chairman, Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths; and A representative from the Florida Senate
A livestream of this meeting of the Commission on Healthcare and Hospital funding will also be available at www.thefloridachannel.org on the day of the event. For more information, please visit www.healthandhospitalcommission.com. And to hear Scott discuss anti price gouging legislation and listing what hospitals charge go to http://www.healthandhospitalcommission.com/ and here is some of the legislation

http://www.healthandhospitalcommission.com/docs/HealthcareTransparencyProposal.pdf

>>> Press release: Scott: New FHA Website Latest Evidence of Need to Protect Florida Patients from Price Gouging

The Florida Hospital Association (FHA) yesterday unveiled a new website that shows how much hospitals in Florida markup their fixed prices for uninsured and out-of-network patients over the actual, negotiated amounts hospitals accept as full payment from commercial insurers.  The website shows that virtually all procedures and illnesses have a markup of at least more than double the average payment amount, with some hospitals having markups of more than 10 times.

Governor Rick Scott said, “We need to protect patients from one-sided price fixing by Florida hospitals.  Patients should have a place to go when they believe their hospital bills are unconscionably high.  That is why we want patients to have the ability to ask for a third-party review of their changes.  We must address the high costs hospitals pass on to patients if we are going to make healthcare more affordable and accessible in Florida.  That means we must also empower patients through more public information and transparency about hospital spending and pricing.  But we must also give patients a place to go when they feel they have unfairly received an outrageously high bill for a hospital service.”

In September, Governor Scott announced that he will work with the Legislature to increase transparency for Florida hospitals and empower patients to fight against hospital price gouging.  Click here to see more about the Governor’s proposal.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Two impressive brands agree to keep working together, from climate change to healthcare, the city of MIAMI and The U of Miami, entities intertwined, from healthcare to tech hub creation says new president Dr. Frenk

University of Miami president Julio Frenk, M.D. met with City of Miami leaders Friday morning and he and Miami Commissioners Frank Carollo, Wilfredo Gort, and Mayor Tomas Regalado attended the Sunshine meeting and it was a love session. Since so many city employees had gone to the U including Victoria Menendez the city’s attorney and she has three degrees from Miami. And Stuart Miller the chair of the Miami board of trustees attended and both sides were bullish on the Miami brand globally and locally. And the Miami Hospital District downtown and in Gort’s district is a important component to UM that also owns the old Cedars of Lebanon Hospital the University bought to augment the University of Miami’s Leonard Miller Medical School that has a over 50 year affiliation with Jackson Health System and the university’s physicians bringing cutting edge medicine to patients being treated at Jackson. And the two organizations and leaders are off to a great start and Frenk was smart to “lay this ground work,” Gort told the Watchdog Report recently when I asked if he was attending the meeting and Ken Russel had a conflict. Since he chaired his first Miami Downtown Authority meeting (DDA) but Miami and the university face many of the same challenges and climate change is at the top of the list, along with healthcare and Miami has a couple of outstanding departments and schools that deal with these issues. And at a commission meeting Thursday Steve Marcus, Ed. D. the CEO of the Health Foundation of South Florida that since 2000 has committed $78 million in healthcare initiatives and healthcare services in a three county area from Broward to Monroe Counties and for more on the foundation go to http://www.hfsf.org/ And Commissioner Russell ate the apple. Marcus gave commissioners after the presentation and the announcement of a new health initiative by the Foundation in the City of] Miami.

What about the MESA board?

The Miami Sports Authority discussed extensively whether it should continue to function was debated Tuesday and once again there were no printed minutes from the previous meeting and the lack of a readable record (the meetings are taped) is an issue with Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo and he wonders if the City has used the board to get around having a referendum on waterfront projects like the Flagstone project on Watson Island (Where in fact there was a vote, and Mayor Tomas Regalado noted recently there was a ground breaking for the mega yacht marina and developer Armando “Codina’ s large yacht was there,” said Regalado). And MESA in the past helped bring the Miami Heat to Miami and helped financed the old Miami Arena, but $10 million in money for sky boxes in the old arena was diverted by then Miami Commissioner J.L. Plummer said Monty Trainer at the MESA meeting but the debate is going to continue whether MESA should stay the way it is because as Regalado said citizens on these boards act as “Watchdogs,” giving a nod to the WDR because when the press covers a meeting people generally do not do something napharious and is why you don’t speed in front of a cop.

What about the seaplane and helicopter base on Watson Island?

The MESA board discussed the issue of a new seaplane base and helicopter landing pad (where the only helicopter that has landed recently on the site “was the FBI,” said a man representing the helicopter facility.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Miami Beach City Manager Relieves Several Public Works Employees of Duty for Egregious Misconduct

Press release: The Public Works Department and the Miami Beach Police Department recently opened a joint criminal investigation on alleged theft of city property by Public Works Street Light Section employees.

Today, Manuel Perez, streetlight technician II, was arrested on one count of grand theft in the second degree ($20,000 and $100,000) and five counts of secondhand dealer/verification/ownership in the third degree (less than $300). Perez was relieved of duty on December 17, 2015, pending the conclusion of investigation. Jorge Fernandez, streetlight technician II, and Gustavo Valbuena, streetlight technician I, have also been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the internal investigation.

Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy L. Morales said, “Since I was appointed city manager, it has been my mission to root out corruption and wrongdoing in the administration. It is a terrible shame and disservice to the many dedicated men and women of the City of Miami Beach’s administration that the actions of these public employees have led to today’s action.” “We will continue to set on a course of professionalism, accountability and transparency to ensure the public has full confidence in our organization,” Morales continued. The city administration continues its internal investigation.

CITY OF NORTH MIAMI BEACH

>>>. 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

>>> Press release: The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Presents -THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES
MASTER QUEST Multimedia symphonic concert returns with new music and scenes from “Tri Force Heroes,” the latest The Legend of Zelda video game.The Legend of Zelda franchise celebrates its 30^th anniversary in 2016!

“An utterly flawless presentation!” – WIRED Part of the 2015-2016 Live at Knight Series

April 16, 2016 at 8 p.m.Tickets: $35-$125* VIP Package: $150*John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall

MIAMI, FL January 15, 2016 – Now celebrating its 10^th Anniversary Season, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is proud to present the return of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES and its new highly-anticipated multimedia symphonic concert MASTER QUEST. This latest edition of The Legend of Zelda symphony will feature brand-new music and visuals from the new The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes video game released in October 2015. As part of the Center’s Live at Knight Series, MASTER QUEST will delight video game and orchestral music fans alike on April 16 in the John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall.

Tickets to MASTER QUEST are on sale now and range from $35 to $125*. A VIP Package for $150* includes premium seating, meet and greet with executive producer Jason Michael Paul and principal conductor Amy Andersson, official tour VIP lanyard, limited edition poster and a VIP Fast Pass to the merchandise booth. Tickets may be purchased at the Adrienne Arsht Center box office by calling (305) 949-6722, or online at www.arshtcenter.org.

Making its South Florida premiere, MASTER QUEST is a never before seen or heard multimedia concert experience featuring a live 56-piece orchestra, 20-person choir and a larger-than-life video presentation of gameplay imagery. The concert also boasts live orchestral performances of theme music from Nintendo’s beloved The Legend of Zelda franchise – now celebrating its 30^th anniversary. Guests will enjoy their favorite game moments from the series, carefully and beautifully timed with a gorgeous orchestral score approved by Nintendo sound director and The Legend of Zelda composer Koji Kondo.

Those new to THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES will also have the opportunity to experience the beautifully orchestrated four-movement symphonic work from last season which chronicles fan-favorite moments from the video game’s rich and storied history, carefully and expertly timed with videos. The concert is a festive experience for all fans, many of which attend in “cosplay” as their favorite characters.

For more information, please visit: www.zelda-symphony.com. Support for the Live at Knight Series is provided by Wells Fargo. *All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Additional fees may apply. Visit www.arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information, details and performance.

Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.arshtcenter.org/press.

 

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations. In its 10^th anniversary season, the Arsht Center thanks its institutional donors for their historic commitment to the performing arts and Greater Miami: Adrienne Arsht; Miami-Dade County; John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Dr. Sanford L. and Dolores Ziff & Family; The Arison Family/Carnival Corporation; Knight Ridder Inc. and The Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald; Sears Roebuck and Co.; Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Foundation; Bank of America; Joyce and M. Anthony Burns; Audre and Donald Carlin, Hedy Carlin and B. Pair Carlin; The Cejas Family Foundation; Gilbert S. Kahn and John J. Noffo Kahn; Haskell Company; Miami Salon Group Inc.; Odebrecht; Peacock Foundation Inc.; Ryder Charitable Foundation; Terra Group; Wells Fargo and Lynn Wolfson.

 

About the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County

Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world’s leading performing arts organizations and venues. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 500 events each year across its eight flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs 12 signature series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, the biggest flamenco festival on the East Coast, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 30,000 children each year. As Miami’s new Town Square, the Arsht Center also houses Brava!, a fine dining restaurant; the Café at Books & Books in the historic Carnival Tower and a weekly Farmers Market. Visit www.arshtcenter.org for more information.

>>> THE MARGULIES COLLECTION AT THE WAREHOUSE is proud to announce its new exhibitions Anselm Kiefer: Paintings, Sculpture and Installation -Susan Philips: Immersive Sound Installation -through April 30, 2016 – Anselm Kiefer: Paintings, Sculpture and Installation

Staged across 18,000 sq. ft. of space the new Kiefer exhibition at the Margulies Warehouse is the largest presentation of the artist work ever made in the United States. The show includes major sculptures, installation and paintings from 1986 to 2015. Four immense rooms within the Warehouse have been built specially to house the exhibition.

“Anselm Kiefer is one of the most important European artists of the past four decades,” says curator Katherine Hinds. “In our ongoing process of building the collection we recognized that Anselm Kiefer was critically important. This exhibition comes at a pivotal time. It is the most comprehensive project ever undertaken by the collection. We are honored to present this exhibition, which is the result of an ongoing collaboration between the collector Martin Z. Margulies and the artist. We see this exhibition as a fulfillment of our educational mission at the Warehouse to produce powerful exhibitions of seminal work by the greatest international artists of our times.”

The artist traveled to Miami to install his 17ft high work Die Erdzeitalter (Ages of the World), 2014 that was the centerpiece of his retrospective at the Royal Academy in London in 2014. The largest work in the show, Geheimnis der Farne (The Secret of the Ferns) is based on a work Kiefer created eight years ago for Monumenta 2007 Grand Palais exhibition. After meeting with the collector, Kiefer changed and rearranged elements of the work and made a site-specific installation for the Margulies collection. Included in the show is the 3-ton work Sprache der Vögel, 1989, which was the first work by Anselm Kiefer acquired by the Margulies collection. It has been on exhibit at the Warehouse since 2013.

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse is honored to join the exemplary collection exhibitions devoted to the art of Anselm Kiefer including the Hall Art Foundation at Mass MoCA, the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection, The Broad Art Foundation and HangarBicocca, Milan.

Anselm Kiefer was born in Donaueschingen, Germany in 1945 and has lived and worked in France since 1993. He has exhibited widely, including solo shows at MoMA, New York (1987); Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin (1991); The Metropolitan Museum, New York (1998); Fort Worth Museum of Art (2005); the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2006); Mass MoCA, Massachusetts; Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao; the Grand Palais, Paris; Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark (2010); the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (2011), Tel Aviv Museum of Art (2011) and The Royal Academy, London (2014). In 2007 Kiefer became the first artist to be commissioned to install a permanent work at the Louvre, Paris since Georges Braque some 50 years earlier. In 2009 he created an opera, Am Anfang, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Opéra National in Paris. The Centre Georges Pompidou and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris will stage major solo presentations of his work in 2015.

Susan Philipsz: Immersive Sound Installation

The Margulies Collection is also pleased to feature a large scale Immersive Sound Installation by the acclaimed European artist Susan Philipsz, winner of the prestigious Turner Prize in 2010, Tate Britain. Drawing from the histories of 1930’s emigrant artists who fled Germany for America only to experience McCarthy-era blacklist censorship, Susan Philipsz’ work evokes the emotions of alienation, loss and exile. The audience views the work by walking into a large room with abstract sound emanating from 12 speakers placed in a symmetrical pattern at eye level. On the walls of the room 12 large prints of musical compositional scores are layered over with redacted FBI documents. “The sound of the deconstructed music heard over 12 channels combined with the visual experience of the recognizable but evasive censored text in the prints is a stunning and evocative experience,” says Ms. Hinds. “This has been a very ambitious project for us, it is the very first sound art installation work here at the warehouse and we are excited about adding a new dimension to the Collection.”

Permanent exhibitions: Magdalena Abakanowicz, Ron Bladen, Pier Paolo Calzolari, Anthony Caro, John Chamberlain, Willem de Kooning, Olafur Eliasson, Dan Flavin, Michael Heizer, Jannis Kounellis, Sol LeWitt, Mario Merz, Joan Miró, Isamu Noguchi, Michelangelo Pistoletto, George Segal, Richard Serra, Tony Smith, and Franz West

New works: Meuser, Lawrence Carroll, Liat Yossifor, Mark Handforth and Martin Boyce. Click here for more information about this season’s exhibitions.

The Margulies Collection at the Warehouse

591 NW 27th Street, Miami, FL 33127

p: 305.576.1051 / f: 305.576.4963

mcollection@bellsouth.net

www.margulieswarehouse.com

The Martin Z. Margulies Foundation, inc. is a not for profit institution dedicated to the presentation of exhibitions and educational programs. The Margulies Collection at the WAREhOUSE houses an extensive collection of contemporary and vintage photography, video, sculpture and installation art.

Curator, Katherine Hinds

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. 9^th 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 5^th 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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***** LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & Initial sponsors since 2000

>>> LIFETIME FOUNDING MEMBERS & INITIAL SPONSORS IN 2000

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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/

>>> General subscriber’s names will not be published in the Report. To subscribe to the Watchdog Report please use the form below as a subscription invoice.

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