>>> 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 will be on www.WLRN.org /NPR 91.3 FM Nov. 3 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Topical Currents hosted by Joseph Cooper and Bonnie Berman and readers should listen in if you get the chance.
>>> The Watchdog Report publisher hopes you will consider supporting me allowing me to stay out in the field so that I can keep at this and report back how your billions of dollars in government is being spent on a weekly basis. And how to do that is at the end of the WDR. Thank You.

ARGUS REPORT – Heard, Seen on the Street

>>>> Outside money kicks in ad blitz afterburner in Congressional Dist. 26 race, how low will the two Belen alumni go to go to get into Congress

The race for Congressional District 26 is pitting two Belen Jesuit Preparatory school grads and the two are only a few of the school’s alumni seeking to enter or stay in the political world. State Rep Carlos Trujillo, R-Doral is also a graduate of the local Jesuit school but the number of these graduates running for an office is impressive. In the congressional race school board member Carlos Curbello is taking on incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D- Key West and money from around the nation is pouring into this toss-up congressional district that stretches from West Dade to Key West. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article3499976.html

Garcia

Curbello

>>> US. Southern Command’s SOC SOUTH Brig. General Mulholland steps down for personal reasons suddenly after taking command Oct. 1, surprise to the community

Lt. Gen Sean P. Mulholland, Jr., has suddenly resigned as the commanding officer of SOC South a unit within the U.S. Southern command located in Doral and his sudden stepping down is being said for health and personal reasons but the general’s stepping down has surprised local leaders in South Dade where the United States Special Operations Command (SOC SOUTH) is located at Homestead Air Reserve Base.  Mulholland took over the Command on Oct. 2 and followed Rear Admiral Thomas L. Brown, III after he served a two year stint as Commander of SOC SOUTH that conducts special operations in support of the U.S. Southern Command.

Brig. Gen Mulholland, Jr.

>>> Press release: Zogby Report Card: Obama is unloved, but must rally Dems for election John Zogby’s Obama Weekly Report Card is Featured in Paul Bedard’s “Washington Secrets” Published weekly in The Washington Examiner

Pollster John Zogby reports in our weekly White House report card that while the polls show President Obama isn’t loved even by his own party, only he can rally the Democrats to hold off the GOP’s Senate grab. “To repeat a line I used before: I am a grader, not a hater. I assess how I see things, not what I want to see. I also have no use for electoral predictive models because I poll people, not numbers. Please click on the link below to view the full release:
http://zogbyanalytics.com/news/512-zogby-report-card-obama-is-unloved-but-must-rally-dems-for-election

>>>>Web page announcement: The Knight Foundation is looking for big ideas on how to make communities better and for more on the program go to Knight Cities Challenge 2014-15 Initial Application – Hide Guidelines Ends on 11/14/2014 what’s your best idea to make cities more successful? The Knight Cities Challenge seeks new ideas from innovators – activists, designers, and artists, planning professionals, hackers, architects, city officials, companies, economic opportunity, and creating a culture of civic engagement.

The rules are simple: A submission may come from anywhere but the project must take place in or benefit one or more of 26 Knight Communities. Your idea should focus on one or all of three key drivers of city success: attracting and retaining talent, expanding economic opportunity, and creating a culture of civic engagement. Apply today! Read more at the Knight Cities Challenge homepage and in the FAQ. If you would like to submit a proposal for the Knight Cities Challenge please review our Terms of Use and privacy Policy. Submit

FLORIDA

>>> With many anticipating a late night Tuesday before Florida knows who its new governor is, Scott amps up campaign ads with $10 million more of his own money as race goes to the wire

>>> Voters should plan to stay up late Tuesday night to see who the state’s next governor will be since the race is too close to call and election Supervisors around the state are holding their breath hoping it is not they’re county that gets the glare of the national media for poor execution of the final poll numbers and can report accurate results in a timely manner. While millions of votes have already been cast it will depend for Democrats how many new voters turnout on election Day Tuesday since the GOP has done a good job in getting they’re party’s voters out early and using absentee votes but voters with no party affiliation and other independents appear to be breaking toward Crist and could blunt the strong GOP voter turnout in this off year election.

With the gubernatorial race to close to call and polls showing both Charlie Crist and Rick Scott in the margin of error in their nasty race that has Scott throwing more of his own money into the race and surrogates like Vice President Joe Biden continue to come to help Crist get out the vote, especially the African American vote today Soul Sunday, which is key to Crist but Scott has largely ignored these voters when it came to his campaign that also has former Gov. Jeb Bush playing a key role in campaign ads.

Scott

Crist

Wyllie

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article2671161.html

On the well-being of our children. Visit The Children’s Movement website to read their stories and share your own. >>> I find it unacceptable, as all of us should, that at least a half-million children in Florida – all citizens — have no health insurance. How could this be in our beloved country that seeks to be a beacon to the world? Health insurance for all children is one of the five major planks of The Children’s Movement. With the support of Florida Covering Kids and Families, The Children’s Movement is working with dozens of local partners to help build a meaningful signing-up initiative in more than a dozen Florida communities. Already we have: Completed 18 KidCare trainings around the state. Signed up, trained and deployed more than a hundred volunteers. Begun to build a growing collaboration between local school districts and KidCare outreach coalitions. It’s a good start, but only the start. If you’d like to become a volunteer, just click here. Another way to help is to make a contribution – of any size – to help support this work. It is easy. Just click here. A real movement isn’t possible without your helping in some meaningful way. Dave Lawrence, Jr., Chair The Children’s Movement. >>> Update: Two encouraging meetings… The first, a visit from the Governor to the Rainbow Intergenerational Child Care center in Little Havana where he discussed his early learning priorities. That includes his support for “Help Me Grow,” a statewide parent resource system where parents would be able — via phone and online — to get answers to questions about their child’s development and connected with the proper resources. The second, a meeting with future House Speaker, Rep. Jose Oliva from Hialeah. He’s a father of three, a real reader of history and student of policy, and committed to better understanding early learning. Dave Lawrence, Chair The Children’s Movement.

>>> House Dist. 112 race getting ugly with endless attack campaign pieces in the voters mailboxes that continue to this day

State Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami is being challenged by GOP candidate Daniel Diaz Leyva in a tough fought race that has the candidates going after each other and in many attack campaign flyers by both men who are attorneys and House Dist. 112 is a swing district and Diaz Leyva is getting support from long serving GOP Congress woman Ileana Ros Lehtinen, R-Miami and former Congressman Adam Putnam in the state House race. Rodriguez won the House seat when he defeated Alex Diaz de La Portilla in 2012 when he got 54 percent of the vote over the former state senator, but there was significant controversy with DLP that is not the case in this current race and insiders consider the race a toss-up and will depend on Democratic Party voter’s turnout.

Rodriguez

Diaz Leyva

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article2666455.html

>>>>And if you would like to see you’re County or state elected leaders financial disclosures forms on file go to website (www.ethics.state.fl.us):

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

>>> Mayor Gimenez saying sayonara to GOP not as drastic a move that some suggest, he has been “independent” and change may help him in high turnout 2016 presidential election

The hand wringing among the GOP faithful since County Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced he felt more comfortable as a registered “independent” is not as terrifying to  Republicans as it could be, and Gimenez has always said he was an “independent” thinker and while he supported Rudy Giuliani when the Republican New York mayor was running for president Gimenez may have gotten turned off  to the way the county commission races, supposed to be nonpartisan, have become politicized such as the Lynda Bell versus Daniela Levine Cava race for Commission District 8 and Levine Cava had the support of the Democratic Party and the unions that were butting heads with the mayor. Further since the mayor is up for reelection in 2016 and there will be a presidential candidate on the ballot Democratic voter turnout is traditionally higher, and being an independent could keep him above the national fray when he is running himself and will likely face former Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, maybe Raquel Regalado, or Alberto Carvalho, or even possible Juan Carlos Cantera if he is elected Lt. governor but the candidate field is wide open and critics are noting the high turnover Gimenez is having with his staff, many of whom are well paid and something Suarez is always pointing out from the dais, but Suarez may be dreaming for many voters remember his past and if he runs it won’t be a cake walk for him or Gimenez whose flip flops and scare tactics during the budget hearings did not endear him to commissioners or many Dade residents.

Suarez

Gimenez

    

What about the swearing in of new Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava on Nov. 18^th?

The newly elected commissioner Daniella Levine Cava asked Commission Chair Rebeca Sosa last week if she could change the date for her swearing in ceremony (to Nov. 18) and when the commission votes on its new chair to Nov. 24 and the body agreed to the date change and while a motion was her first victory on the 13 member commission. Further, Levine Cava elected to the District 8 seat on the dais has been having Sunshine Meetings with her fellow commissioners to hear their views on a variety of matters and is showing she is doing her homework prior to sitting on the body after she defeated incumbent Commissioner Lynda Bell in a tough well financed commission race, that also had the support of Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

Levine Cava

MIAMI-DADE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

>>> ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR M-DCPS HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM

Press release: Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Head Start/Early Head Start Program is currently enrolling eligible children for the 2014-1015 school year. Open enrollment will continue through July 31^st.

The Head Start/Early Head Start program is available to income eligible children two months to five years of age. Children with disabilities are fully included (on a case-by-case basis) into the program and receive a full range of developmental services.

Head Start/Early Head Start offers comprehensive services for children and their families. Head Start

Full day educational program for three- and four-year olds

Child development screenings

Health screenings

Free breakfast and lunch

Parental involvement opportunities

Early Head Start

Quality center programs

Support services for children with special needs

Developmental screenings

Health and nutrition monitoring

Parental involvement opportunities

Parents may apply at participating schools. Applications will be accepted for services to expectant mothers and children ages two months to three years of age in the Early Head Start Program, and from three and four years of age (by September 1, 2014) for the Head Start Program. For more information and a list of participating schools, parents may visit http://headstart.dadeschools.net/ .

PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST

>>>> State Rep. Trujillo tapped to replace board member Rep. Bileca, health trust cash on hand surges to “42 days” new high after months of being as low “as 7 days”

State Rep. Carlos Trujillo, R-Doral is one of the new seven trustees on the PHT Trust board after he was appointed to the Trust by the Miami-Dade delegation Chair Eddy Gonzalez,( And Trujillo is replacing state Rep. Michael Bileca, R- Miami who did a great job on the Trust) and Gonzalez is now running to be the County property appraiser. Trujillo is an attorney and a Belen Jesuit Prep School graduate http://ballotpedia.org/Carlos_Trujillo and the former state attorney in this past election cycle, is facing challenger Carlos Pereira a Democrat for the Dist. 105 seat in the House.

What do we know about his finances?

Trujillo through the year 2014 had a net worth of $343,937 and to read his complete financial disclosure form for the year go to http://public.ethics.state.fl.us/Forms/2013/214569-Form6.pdf .

PHT trustee Arriola wants to know if the Jackson name will go on any UM new medical complex buildings?

And after Trujillo was introduced and sworn in at the Trust monthly board meeting Monday he was assigned to be on the Annual Operating Agreement committee with the University of Miami. Further,  Steven Falcone, M.D. gave the PHT board an update on activities at the University of Miami noting the university had received a $50 million donation from the Lennar Foundation for a new Out Patient Center in Coral Gables expected to open in the fall of 2016 and will include specialty medical care services. However, Trustees Joe Arriola asked Falcone if it was possible to include “Jackson as part of the name,” of the new building and Arriola noted when the Trust builds its new buildings “We will be sure to include your name on the beautiful new buildings,” the former U Of Miami trustee said to the physician, who indicated it would likely carry the Lennar name. Arriola also noted the health trust’s fiscal condition continued to get better and days of cash on hand through Sept. was “42 days,” which was a marked improvement to when cash on hand was around 7 days and the goal was to have roughly 50 days of cash on hand but was very difficult to obtain years ago and this new level was a major fiscal improvement, said Arriola.

Trujillo

Migoya

What about the $830 million bond program?

The Board of County Commissioners is being asked to approve Wednesday an ordinance “creating the Jackson Health System Capital Expedite Program, authorizing the Public Health Trust to advertise and award contracts for professional services and construction and design-build services.” And the success of the capital program is falling squarely on PHT CEO and President Carlos Migoya and the Watchdog Report wishes him the best of luck while he shepherds the needed upgrades while also running a full service academic hospital, no easy task to do I am being told but is desperately needed and why the community approved the issuance of $830 million in GOB bonds last year and passed overwhelmingly by voters and includes upgrades in diagnostic and IT systems for the health trust to be competitive in the new changing world of healthcare.

>>>> County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa at a Oct. BCC meeting acknowledged and thanked University of Miami Miller Medical School staff for working to prevent strokes that took some “6 million lives” last year and is the 2^nd cause of death in America and below is some information on strokes and since having had one myself It is important to keep your blood pressure under control and to stop smoking a major risk factor as one ages.  And for more on strokes go to http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/

Featured Items

October 29 is World Stroke Day – this annual observance promotes the stroke warning signs and importance of taking FAST action if you think you or someone you know might be having a stroke. This year’s event focuses on the special challenges of stroke in women and how women can protect their health. Find out more about World Stroke Day in CDC’s MMWR and ” Our Global oices(http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/index.html)” blog series.

Strokes, long on the Decline among the elderly, are Rising among Younger Adults
Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and years of productive life lost, especially when it occurs in younger persons. Stroke in children and young adults accounts for 5 to 10% of all strokes and is among the top 10 causes of childhood death. CDC’s report on stroke was recently cited in a Washington Post article that explores the rise of strokes among young adults.

A Cup of Health with CDC: Preventing Strokes
Strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and they don’t just occur in older adults. Anyone can have a stroke at any age. In this CDC podcast, Dr. Mary George, discusses ways to decrease your chances of having a stroke.

Vital Signs: Preventable Deaths from Heart Disease and Stroke
Nearly 1 of 3 deaths in the US each year is caused by heart disease and stroke. At least 200,000 of these deaths could have been prevented through changes in health habits, such as no smoking, more physical activity, and less salt in the diet. Community changes to create healthier living spaces, such as safe places to exercise, smoke-free areas, managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can also help prevent heart disease and strokes.

When it Comes to Blood Pressure, Make Control Your Goal
May is High Blood Pressure Education Month. Have you talked about a goal for your blood pressure with your health care provider? If not, do it at your next visit. One of three American adults has high blood pressure, also called hypertension. Learn how to make control your goal.

CITY OF MIAMI

>>> Philanthropist Fernandez trying to create Flag of gratitude learns Miami is a pay to play commission, City has a long history of shaking down people wanting something from the commission since the 1990s

The frustrations of dealing with Miami Officials and what it was like to deal with Miami Commissioners was detailed in a Miami Herald story last week. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/downtown-miami/article3481049.html .  And here is what Fernandez has written about the controversy. The ugliness to my offer to pay for the design, building and installation of what some called my “monstrous idea,” A Flag of Gratitude, in downtown Miami. It would be on a 450-foot-high flagpole, located behind American Airlines Arena and would cost between $5 – $10 million. Those who disagree have every right to do so. Maybe some misunderstood my motives. >>> From Fernandez’s webpage: It is astonishing how much ugliness my simple idea detailed in

the Aug. 7 article in The Miami Herald, Billionaire pitches proposal for massive flag over Miami, has generated. By ugliness I do not refer to the disagreement with an idea or a position, rather I mean hurtful. Maybe I didn’t explain well enough why I’m such a grateful citizen of our great country. So, let me explain. Personally, I take very little for granted. Even simple things like our ability to turn on a faucet and expect water to flow from it, most people on earth do not have this benefit. Many born under our form of government take what we have for granted and simply do not understand how those of us who came from elsewhere cannot take that for granted. I don’t think our country is perfect, but is there a better form of government, a more generous people anywhere in the world? The Flag of Gratitude that I would hope our city would support isn’t for me, born in Cuba, but on behalf of all who have been embraced by our great nation. I wish to say thank you on behalf of the Irish, English, Chileans, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italians, Romanians, Nigerians, South Africans, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Germans and, yes, the Pilgrims who preceded us. All these, and more, came looking for a better place, for freedom. I want to show our gratitude to these great United States from all its adopted sons and daughter. All of us.

A few who wrote suggested I should take my Cuban “back end” and build a flag there. Sir, this is my home, this is my country and I am not going back. Very similar to your ancestors who chose to stay, I, too, will stay.A few called me an ungrateful egomaniac. Know that it was never my intention to ask for my name to be on this. Others told me my proposal was callous, and that any such dollars ought to go to health services, inner-city education, supporting those less fortunate. In fact, I have done all of these things, too.

This is my community, and this is my country, and I want to say, thank you. This country gave me opportunity, and no guaranteed results. That is the opportunity for all of us.I don’t know if this Flag of Gratitude will be built in Miami. Let me simply say to my country, our country: We are grateful to be your adopted sons and daughters. For more go to www.flagofgratitude.com Michael B. Fernandez, Coral Gables

And the Watchdog Report covered a public meeting around a  month ago on the matter of Fernandez erecting a Flag of Gratitude on Museum Park and during the discussion’s that Fernandez’ did not attend it was clear to the WDR that he would be asked for something or he hire some lobbyist to make this go more smoothly and some Miami commissioner’s offices have become an incubator for lobbyists and Commissioner Francis Suarez has minted three new lobbyists since he came into office and given his political inexperience he might have suggested to Fernandez he might need a little help if he wanted to get the project approved. Though Fernandez has also been in talks with Miami Beach leaders as well and on Saturday he told the Watchdog it could even go in another Florida county if there was so much resistance here, though  he preferred Miami, and for him it has been the thought and his way of thanking a nation that has done so much for him, but it was mentioned at the public meeting “what  a great fundraiser he was,” and Sarnoff suggested he was close to the Healthcare Executive since they were both supporting Gov. Rick Scott, and while Fernandez did not name the commissioners that suggested the matter, here is what he has written on the matter and below is his own words found on the webpage concerning the matter. http://flagofgratitude.com/#!our-proposal/

>>> From Fernandez’s webpage: It is astonishing how much ugliness my simple idea detailed in the Aug. 7 article in The Miami Herald, Billionaire pitches proposal for massive flag over Miami, has generated.

By ugliness I do not refer to the disagreement with an idea or a position, rather I mean hurtful ugliness to my offer to pay for the design, building and installation of what some called my “monstrous idea,” A Flag of Gratitude, in downtown Miami. It would be on a 450-foot-high flagpole, located behind American Airlines Arena and would cost between $5 – $10 million.

Those who disagree have every right to do so. Maybe some misunderstood my motives. Maybe I didn’t explain well enough why I’m such a grateful citizen of our great country. So, let me explain.

Personally, I take very little for granted. Even simple things like our ability to turn on a faucet and expect water to flow from it, most people on earth do not have this benefit. Many born under our form of government take what we have for granted and simply do not understand how those of us who came from elsewhere cannot take that for granted. I don’t think our country is perfect, but is there a better form of government, a more generous people anywhere in the world? The Flag of Gratitude that I would hope our city would support isn’t for me, born in Cuba, but on behalf of all who have been embraced by our great nation. I wish to say thank you on behalf of the Irish, English, Chileans, Japanese, Vietnamese, Italians, Romanians, Nigerians, South Africans, Mexicans, Venezuelans, Germans and, yes, the Pilgrims who preceded us. All these, and more, came looking for a better place, for freedom. I want to show our gratitude to these great United States from all its adopted sons and daughter. All of us.

A few who wrote suggested I should take my Cuban “back end” and build a flag there. Sir, this is my home, this is my country and I am not going back. Very similar to your ancestors who chose to stay, I, too, will stay.A few called me an ungrateful egomaniac. Know that it was never my intention to ask for my name to be on this. Others told me my proposal was callous, and that any such dollars ought to go to health services, inner-city education, supporting those less fortunate. In fact, I have done all of these things, too.

This is my community, and this is my country, and I want to say, thank you. This country gave me opportunity, and no guaranteed results. That is the opportunity for all of us.I don’t know if this Flag of Gratitude will be built in Miami. Let me simply say to my country, our country: We are grateful to be your adopted sons and daughters. For more go to www.flagofgratitude.com Michael B. Fernandez, Coral Gables

The Flag of Gratitude will be erected at the City of Miami’s Museum Park. No State, County or City of Miami funding will be needed. As a result of the initial gift, The Flag of Gratitude Foundation has been established.

A committee of private citizens will begin the fundraising effort to secure the projected maintenance expenses and cost of additional flags for the next decade. All funding will be in place prior to the project’s completion.

The flagpole is being donated to our city as a sign of gratitude from our citizens. All engineering, design, and construction work is being paid by private citizens.

The Flag of Gratitude Foundation is being launched and funded with an initial donation of $100,000 to pay for the upkeep of this glorious American symbol. There is passion and excitement about The Flag of Gratitude, South Florida’s proposed new symbol of our love for this great country. We ask that our city provides the Flag of Gratitude with a home. Our world class city deserves this world class symbol. Let’s make this happen!

Suarez

Sarnoff

   

>>>> Owner and Administrator of Miami Home Health Companies Pleads Guilty For Role in $74 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Leslie R. Caldwell, Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Division Department of Justice, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office and Ryan Lynch, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Office of Investigations Miami announced that Elsa Ruiz, 45, of Miami pled guilty yesterday, for her participation in a $74 million Medicare fraud scheme,  before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  Her sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2014.

According to court documents, Ruiz was an owner of Professional Home Care Solutions Inc. (Professional Home Care) and an administrator of LTC Professional Consultants Inc. (LTC), Miami home health care agencies that purported to provide home health and therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries.  Ruiz and her co-conspirators operated LTC and Professional Home Care for the purpose of billing the Medicare program for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or were not provided.

Also according to court documents, Ruiz ran and oversaw the schemes operating out of LTC and Professional Home Care.  Ruiz and co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters, who provided patients to LTC and Professional Home Care, as well as prescriptions, plans of care (POCs) and certifications for medically unnecessary therapy and home health services for Medicare beneficiaries.  Ruiz and her co-conspirators used these prescriptions, POCs and medical certifications to fraudulently bill the Medicare program for unnecessary home health care and therapy services.

From approximately January 2006 to June 2012, LTC and Professional Home Care submitted approximately $74 million in claims for home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided, and Medicare paid approximately $45 million on those claims.

Mr. Ferrer commended the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI and HHS-OIG.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Joseph S. Beemsterboer of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged nearly 1,900 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $6 billion.  In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare and 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.  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.

CITY OF HIALEAH

>>> Four Defendants Charged in Conspiracy to Distribute Testosterone and Human Growth Hormones to Underage High School and Professional Athletes

Press release: Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and A.D. Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, announce the filing of a superseding indictment charging Yuri Sucart, 52, of Miami, FL, Juan Carlos Nuñez, 48, of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Lazaro Daniel Collazo, a/k/a “Lazer,” “Laser,” 50, of Hialeah, FL, and Paulo Berejuk, a/k/a “Pablo Berejuk,” “Paolo Berejuk,” 50, of Cutler Bay, with conspiring to distribute testosterone and human growth hormone to underage high school and professional athletes. The charges stem from a DEA investigation, which focused on the illegal distribution of testosterone by the charged defendants in Miami-Dade County, and elsewhere. In August 2014, seven defendants, including Sucart, Nuñez, and Collazo, were charged with conspiracy to distribute testosterone. Defendants Anthony Publio Bosch, Carlos Javier Acevedo, Jorge Augustine Velazquez, and Christopher Benjamin Engroba have entered guilty pleas and are pending sentencing in connection with this conspiracy.

The charges, filed in August 2014, focused on the illegal distribution of testosterone by the operators of several anti-aging clinics in Miami, Florida, recruiters for these clinics, and a black market distributor of testosterone. These anti-aging clinics were incorporated under several different corporate names: Biogenesis of America, LLC; Biokem, LLC; Revive Miami, LLC; and others by the same group of people who occasionally worked together in the time period 2008 through 2012. One of the original founders of these clinics was Anthony Bosch.

The superseding indictment charges Sucart, Collazo, Nuñez, and Berejuk with one count of conspiracy to distribute a Schedule III controlled substance, that is, the anabolic steroid testosterone, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846; and one count of conspiracy to distribute human growth hormone, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 333(e)(1) and (e)(2). Additionally, Sucart has been charged with five counts of distribution of testosterone, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2; and Collazo has been charged with one count of distribution of human growth hormone, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 333(e)(1) and (e)(2).

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible statutory sentence of 10 years in prison on each count. Mr. Ferrer thanked the DEA for their work on this investigation.  This case is being prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Michal P. Sullivan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharad A. Motiani. 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.

CITY OF MIAMI BEACH

>>> Miami-Dade Residents Convicted in $8 Million Investment Fraud Scheme

Press release:  Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that Lawrence Foster, 49, of Miami Beach, the President of Paradise is Mine, was found guilty by a federal jury in Miami of conspiring to commit wire fraud and seven counts of wire fraud.  Johana Leon, 38, of Miami Beach, a corporate officer of Paradise is Mine, meanwhile, was found guilty of three counts of structuring currency transactions by the same jury.

The trial evidence showed that Paradise is Mine received approximately $8 million from approximately 90 investors after the company promised that it owned land in the Bahamas and would use investor funds to develop the island of Rum Cay in the Bahamas.  In its promotional materials, Paradise is Mine claimed that it was featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and other publications, and that Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana and other celebrities purchased land from Paradise is Mine.  Bank records, however, show that no money went to the Bahamas.  Instead, Leon withdrew over $1 million as cash below the $10,000 currency transaction reporting level.  Foster spent investor money on personal expenses, including gardening and a Bentley GT.  Witnesses from the Wall Street Journal and USA Today testified that the Paradise is Mine articles had never appeared in either publication.  Finally, the accountant for Joe Montana testified that Mr. Montana never received land from Paradise is Mine.

United States District Judge Donald L. Graham remanded Foster to the custody of the Bureau of Prisons and set sentencing for January 5, 2015.  Foster faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison for each count.  Leon faces a term up to five years in prison for each count of conviction.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys H. Ron Davidson, Robert Watson, and Harold Schimkat.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.

CITY OF CORAL GABLES

Gables Commissioner’s will be honoring Roxy Bolton Monday morning for her trail blazing work fighting for women’s rights and she is a major force in the Gables but has been ill over the past decades. For more go to: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/coral-gables/article3499524.html

BROWARD COUNTY

>>> Attorney Pleads Guilty in Connection with Rothstein Case

Press release: 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), and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that David Boden, 53, of Ft. Lauderdale, pled guilty today in West Palm Beach before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the operation of the former Fort Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, P.A. (RRA).  In 2009, it was discovered that RRA was being utilized by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Scott W. Rothstein, to commit a massive Ponzi scheme stemming from the sale of fictitious confidential settlements.  At his sentencing, scheduled for January 9, 2015, before U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra, the defendant faces a maximum five years imprisonment.

In connection with his guilty plea, Boden, who was an attorney with the now defunct RRA law firm, admitted that he cooperated with co-defendant Richard L. Pearson, who agreed to act as a broker for Rothstein’s settlements.  Pearson would receive a sales commission from Rothstein derived from the money paid by the investor, and would pay a portion of that sales commission to Boden for his assistance in the sale of these settlements.  Beginning in September 2009, a group of investors (hereinafter referred to as “the Investor Group”) began investing in the confidential settlement agreements following a meeting with Rothstein.  Boden and Pearson agreed that the Investor Group would pay a sales commission directly to Pearson.  The Investor Group was not informed by Boden or Pearson that they were also receiving an additional undisclosed sales commission from the money paid by the Investor Group to Rothstein. The defendant further admitted that, through material misstatements and omissions made to the Investor Group, Pearson and Boden caused the Investor Group to incur a loss of approximately $2,400,000.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the IRS-CI and the FBI.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lawrence D. LaVecchio, Paul F. Schwartz, and Jeffrey N. Kaplan.

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

>>>>  The Black Archives History & Research Foundation of South Florida is calling visual artists in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties to submit artwork to interpret A Man Among the Peoples, that will coincide with an exhibition on the life, art and legacy of late Overtown artist, Purvis Young. Selected artwork will be displayed in the lobby of The Historic Lyric Theater as part of “Soul Basel Overtown: A celebration of Art, Music and Culture in Colored Town”.

This an art festival taking place from December 3 – 7, 2014 in Miami’s Historic Overtown District. We encourage imaginative expression in the interpretation of the theme. This project is designed to highlight the work of South Florida artists among others that will be displayed during Art Basel weekend. In addition to the public, museum professionals and art critics are invited to attend the festival. Entries will be accepted via email. Deadline to apply is Monday, November 17, 2014.To enter or for more information, please contact Adia McKenzie at amckenzie@theblackarchives.org or 786-708-4

About The Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc.:

The Black Archives History and Research Foundation of South Florida, Inc is a non-profit organization founded in 1977 by Dorothy Jenkins Fields, Ph.D. With a mission to not only preserve the documentary and photographic history of black South Florida, but also to enrich the present and protect the future through the revitalization Miami’s former black business and entertainment district, Overtown. The Black Archives and its programming are supported by the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency, Miami-Dade County, The Knight Foundation, Coca-Cola, Macy’s, The Design Group Miami & Drummer Boy Sound. For more information on The Black Archives of South Florida visit www.theblackarchives.org.

Kristi House Lands Federal Grant and Global Honor for Project GOLD Child Sexual Exploitation Program >>>> MIAMI – Kristi House was one of four organizations in the country awarded a U.S. Department of Justice grant for its program for commercially sexually exploited children, Project GOLD. The three-year, $450,000 grant awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will add a community mentoring component to Project GOLD, and expand services to boys, transgender and questioning  youth. In separate news also related to the organization’s work on behalf of child sex trafficking victims, Kristi House’s Executive Director Trudy Novicki was named one of 10 recipients of the international C-10 Award. The C10 Award recognizes 10 global leaders and their fight against the trafficking of children. Sophie Stenbeck Family Foundation, World Childhood Foundation and Reach for Change co-founded the award to support and acknowledge entrepreneurial leaders of the child rights field. The C10 Award Forum will be held November 3, 2014, in Stockholm, Sweden. “Trudy has made a lasting and profound impact not just for Kristi House, but for all children exposed to commercial sexual exploitation throughout our state,” Kristi House President Juan Trescastro said. “Trudy truly cares about this community and these child victims,” said State Representative Jeanette Nunez, co-sponsor of the Florida Safe Harbor Act.  To continue reading click here. Join us for the 15th Anniversary Touch a Heart Dinner on Nov. 14! We are pleased to share with you exciting news! Eliza and Hugh Culverhouse will be the 15th Anniversary Touch a Heart Challenge Grant Sponsors! You’ll be hearing more about the Challenge as we get closer to the big evening. Thank you, Culverhouses, dear friends of Kristi House. Badia Spices and Buddha Mama Jewelry have teamed together to be our Platinum Heart Sponsors for the evening. Thank you to these major and other major sponsors for your generosity: Gold Heart: Swanee & Paul DiMare * Frank Fawzi Silver Heart: Emma & Sia Afra * Katie & Eddy Arriola – Apollo Bank * Zaba & Edgar Castro * Rachelle & A.J. de Moya – The de Moya Group * Lisette & Nelson Diaz * Eller-ITO Stevedoring Company * Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos & George Karavestos * Honorable Anitere Flores & Dustin Anderson * Lauren & John Genovese – Genovese Joblove & Battista, P.A. * Cindy & Jeff Gomez * Greene Kleen of South Florida, Inc. * Marta & Rick Hasty, MD * Jeff Herman – Herman Law * Lourdes Leon-Vega & Otto Vega, MD * Betty Lopez-Castro * Maria & Al Maloof * Judy & George McCleary * Loretta & Miguel Nido * Ed McCluskey – Northwestern Mutual * Honorable Jeanette & Adrian Nuñez * Casey & Dennis Rodriguez * Tatiana & Alex Ruiz * Judy & Juan Trescastro * Royal Caribbean International * Shook, Hardy & Bacon, LLP * Tutti Bambini * Kara Zeder & Rick Rosen link

Visit the Dinner website or for more details contact Bianca Fernandez at bfernandez@kristihouse.org or 305-547-6802 >>>> Chairman of the Dolphin Cycling Challenge V Sponsor, ride, run, walk, donate or volunteer to fight the Plague of our generation:          February 7-8, 2015 www.ridedcc.comhttps://register.racepartner.com/DCC/register http://ridedcc.com/where-the-money-goes

>>> The Margulies Warehouse will be reopen at the end of October and all adult admission charges $10.00 will go to Lotus House Women’s and Children’s Shelter in Overtown and students are free. For more go to http://www.margulieswarehouse.com/ and the Lotus House Gala will be Oct. 25^{th for more information go to} http://lotushouse.org/

Editorial

>>>> No one should be surprised that at the City of Miami it is a pay to play environment, there is a long history of payoffs of favors on the commission over the years since the 1990s

Anyone in South Florida that does not believe this is a pay to play community does not watch they’re governments in action for essentially the same lobbyists represent the person looking for some concessions or money and at the City of Miami it has become institutionalized and for example when the Ritz Carleton in the Grove was being built and an error created a need to add two more stories to the building. Then Miami Commissioner J.L. Plummer told the organization’s people to just donate $450,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Miami and there changes sailed through the commission twice but at this price, and variations of this continue with elected leaders asking for people to donate to their Foundation but this is still a corrosive and a terrible activity and should be banned but has become addictive to city commissioners and why when a couple of them met to discuss Mike Fernandez’s idea of a Flag of Gratitude. When it was over, I knew a couple of commissioners would try to extract something from the man since he is a  billionaire  and that was very obvious at the public Sunshine meeting (That was recorded by the Clerk’s office and myself) that I attended in Commissioner Francis Suarez’s office that included Commissioner Mark Sarnoff and how they would get concessions from Fernandez was not discussed but they were almost salivating at the time and I joked with Fernandez later that he should wait and see what they want if his project was going to go through because that is the drill at Miami, someone has to pay if you want to play in this commission sandbox and it is not pleasant but is how things get done in Miami and Commissioner’s seem addicted to keeping this style of governance going.

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>>>> Chairman of the Dolphin Cycling Challenge V Sponsor, ride, run, walk, donate or volunteer to fight the Plague of our generation: February 7-8, 2015 www.ridedcc.com
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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 Extra’s 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.

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