SafeX Pro Exchange-Miami city commissioner charged with bribery and money laundering

2025-04-30 21:09:01source:Christopher Caldwellcategory:Contact

MIAMI (AP) — A city of Miami commissioner accused of bribery and SafeX Pro Exchangemoney laundering was arrested Thursday on multiple corruption charges, officials said.

Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla and a co-defendant, Miami attorney William Riley Jr., were both booked into the Miami-Dade county jail and were expected to make their first court appearances on Friday, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Diaz de la Portilla and Riley accepted more than $15,000 in payments for the Miami-Dade County Court judicial campaign of Diaz de la Portilla’s brother but did not report them, as required by state law, investigators said. Riley also controlled a bank account in the name of a Delaware-based corporation to launder about $245,000 in concealed political contributions made by a management services company in exchange for permission to build a sports complex in the city of Miami, officials said.

Investigators also said that Diaz de la Portilla operated and controlled two political committees used not only to support his brother’s campaign, but also for personal expenditures. Records showed that one of the committees reported total donations of about $2.3 million and the other reported total donations of more than $800,000.

Diaz de La Portilla, 58, and Riley, 48, have each been charged with one count of money laundering, three counts of unlawful compensation or reward for official behavior, one count of bribery and one count of criminal conspiracy. Diaz de la Portilla is also charged with four counts of official misconduct, one count of campaign contribution in excess of legal limits and two counts of failure to report a gift. Riley is also charged with failure to disclose lobbyist expenses.

Diaz de la Portilla was being held on a $72,000 bond, and Riley was being held on a $46,000 bond.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.

Attorneys for Diaz de la Portilla and Riley didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment from The Associated Press.

More:Contact

Recommend

Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates

Get ready for phase two.Apple's latest operating system update is available today for iPhone, iPad,

White House Looks to Safeguard Groundwater Supplies as Aquifers Decline Nationwide

PHOENIX—In the middle of summer in the nation’s hottest city, water experts from local governments,

Texas deaths from Hurricane Beryl climb to at least 36, including more who lost power in heat

HOUSTON (AP) — The number of Texas deaths after Hurricane Beryl came ashore and knocked out power to