City of Miami may pay $1.3 mil for Alex Diaz de la Portilla’s criminal defense

Miami taxpayers may end up on the hook to pay more than $1.3 million in legal defense fees for former Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla, who was suspended from office by the governor after his arrest almost two years ago on bribery and money laundering charges that were later dismissed.
Diaz de la Portilla and lobbyist William “Bill” Riley, who worked for The Centner Academy, were arrested in September 2023 and accused of funneling more than $300,000 to the former commissioner through his political action committee and meals, alcohol and accommodations at a luxury hotel in Brickell, in exchange for his sponsorship of and voting on an item that would give the school control of a public park. It was a scam that never came to fruition after ADLP’s arrest.
The case was transferred to Broward (again) because, technically, Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathy Fernandez-Rundle had a personal relationship (again) with Riley. But in reality it’s because she is either lazy or complicit with all the corruption in the county. There is no other explanation why that office isn’t booming. And Broward botched it.
Read related: Public corruption charges dropped against Miami’s Alex Diaz de la Portilla
The lion’s share of the ADLP legal fees, or $705,055, goes to Kuehne Davis Law and his main attorney, Benjamin Kuehne, who also represented Commissioner Joe Carollo in the federal First Amendment lawsuit that got the two Little Havana businessmen a $63.5 million judgement, the appeal of which was lost just last week.
The rest of the monies are distributed, as per the resolution before the city commission Thursday, as such:

$208,000 goes to Collazo Law Firm.
$121,723.33 goes to Susy Ribero-Ayala, who was already paid $16,110 last summer and also represented him in the civil case on the alleged shakedown for the new Rickenbacker Marina contract.
$98,535 goes to Richard Diaz.
$86,097.50 goes to Gunster, a law firm that is friendly with Mayor Francis Suarez, an attorney.
$109,926.81 goes to “costs as reimbursement for legal fees and costs in the case.”

The city attorney’s office “has investigated and evaluated this case and has approved the recommendation of this settlement,” reads a memo from City Attorney George Wysong to the mayor and city commissioners. It’s on the consent agenda for Thursday, which means the administration does not expect any discussion.

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