Hialeah’s former mayor and his wife are charged with failing to report about $2 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service and lying about it to investigators.Julio and Raiza Robaina are accused of hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in questionable compensation — including a Ferrari sports car worth $176,000 — and money from high-interest personal loans to friends and associates, including convicted Ponzi schemer Luis Felipe Perez. The interest rate topped out at 36 percent annually.
Prosecutors also said they used three shell companies that did almost no business to claim thousands of dollars in tax deductions that were actually their own personal and political expenses — including cuff links and cigar boxes the mayor doled out as gifts and printing of his Christmas cards.
The current Hialeah mayor, Carlos Hernandez, testified that he also made high-interest loans to Perez and collected thousands of dollars in payments. Hernandez has not been charged with any crime and testified as a government witness in the Robaina case.
Hello and welcome to my blog! I'm Anna Fernandez – a driven attorney, yogi, and music lover. This platform has its roots in a shared vision with my father, Luis Fernandez, a distinguished lawyer whom many recognize from local and national news spots.
Since the inception of my own law firm, I've been compelled to share insights and answer prevalent questions tied to Florida's ever-evolving legal scene and current events. Through this blog, I aim to bridge gaps, enlightening and assisting our community in navigating the intricate web of legal matters.
My pursuits aren't confined to law alone. I incorporate my diverse passions and endeavors here. And if you're keen on more in-depth discussions, you can catch me hosting "Ante Usted" every Sunday on WLRN's local PBS during its Spanish slot. The show is an extension of this blog's mission, where I team up with experts from varied domains to shed light on critical issues.
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