The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Miami Lakes Mayor Michael Pizzi and Sweetwater Mayor Manuel “Manny” Maroño on Tuesday for allegedly accepting bribes and kickbacks.
Lobbyists Jorge Forte and Richard Candia, who worked closely with Pizzi and Maroño, also face corruption charges and turned themselves in to federal agents this morning, 7 News Miami/Fort Lauderdale reports.
The US Department of Justice (USDOJ) issued a press release yesterday announcing that Maroño, Forte and Candia were all involved in an alleged bribery and kickback scheme, and Pizzi and Candia in a separate but similar one.
The Miami Herald reports that Maroño and Forte met with supposed Chicago businessmen back in March and accepted $10,000 in cash. In July, Pizzi and Candia met in an office closet in Medley Town Hall in Medley, Fla., where Pizzi accepted a $3,000 cash kickback. The corruption cases started with a confidential tip in the FBI two years ago, and prosecutors stated that the four men accepted thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks to fund federal grant applications for their towns, but intended to keep the money only for themselves.
According to USDOJ, the mayors and lobbyists implicated in this case could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.