Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla was arrested Thursday on money laundering and political corruption charges — including unlawful compensation, bribery and criminal conspiracy — after a yearlong investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Broward State Attorney’s office.

These charges do not stem from the shakedown of the Rickenbacker Marina operator (more on that later) or the COVID gift cards that went missing for months or the ghost employees in Diaz de la Portilla’s office. No. These charges reportedly stem from a commission vote last year to basically give Biscayne Park away to a private school whose lobbyist paid for the commissioner’s accommodations and a vacation, among other things, and served as his baby brother’s judicial campaign fundraiser.

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