- Public Corruption
- Nov 5, 2026
Florida ARRESTED A Miami Commissioner Over $245,000 In Donations Later They DROPPED Every Charge
In September 2023, Miami City Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla was arrested on 13 charges, including money laundering and bribery. Investigators said about $245,000 tied to a private school's sports complex plan moved through a lobbyist's company into his political committees. He was suspended by the governor, the commission left his seat empty, and he lost it in the November election.
Fourteen months later, the Broward State Attorney dropped every charge, saying there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction. Nobody in this case was convicted.
How does a case this big disappear? This episode follows the record from the arrest to the closeout memo.
Tell us in the comments: should an elected official lose his seat before a court hears the case?
News clips are used for commentary and reporting under fair use.
Presumption of innocence
Anyone accused in this report who has not been convicted is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Sources
FDLE arrest announcement (Sept. 14, 2023); Florida Executive Order suspending the commissioner (Sept. 2023); Broward State Attorney's Office nolle prosequi memorandum (Nov. 19-20, 2024); reporting by WPLG Local 10, CBS News Miami, WSVN 7News.
