Sophia Lacayo was arrested on campaign finance charges. Stay up-to-date on the legal developments of the former Miami-Dade County Commission candidate. Sophia Lacayo is a former Sweetwater Commissioner and a former candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission. She experienced legal difficulties, including prosecution for perjury in 2020, when it was discovered that she did not live within the municipal boundaries required to run for office.
Sophia Lacayo was arrested and charged
Sophia Lacayo, 45, a former Sweetwater commissioner, was arrested Tuesday and charged with campaign finance irregularities. The arrest followed an investigation by the Operative Group of the State Attorney’s Office. According to the Miami Herald, CBS News Miami partner, the charges stem from a suspected violation of campaign finance regulations. Lacayo has had legal troubles in the past, in addition to the new charges. She was accused of perjury in 2020 after she allegedly did not meet the residency requirements prescribed by the City Charter for holding office.
Lacayo resigned as a Sweetwater commissioner as part of a plea deal that spared her prison time after being accused of lying. The new arrest is connected to Lacay’s previous campaign for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission. According to the Miami Herald, Lacayo claimed to have spent $1,000,000 of her own money on the campaign at the time. Details of the alleged false campaign documents that led to her detention have not yet been released. A press conference is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at the Miami State Attorney’s Office, during which further information on the charges is expected.
Is Sophia Lacayo, the candidate of a political party, in prison?
Sophia Lacayo, a former candidate for Miami-Dade County’s 12th District, was arrested Tuesday afternoon and faces 21 counts stemming from the origin and use of campaign money. She was arrested at Miami International Airport and booked into Turner Guilford Knight Jail in Miami-Dade County. Bail was set at $14,500 on the campaign finance charges. During her campaign against former Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez, doubts arose about the source of the Bermdez’s more than $1.9 million.
Lacay’s campaign finance reports show that she raised a significant portion of the money herself. Furthermore, companies where Lacayo was listed as an owner contributed the maximum amount authorized of $1,000, and some of these companies received federal government assistance during the outbreak under the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). A political action committee (PAC) has raised concerns about donations from corporations that have received government loans.
After the early voting period ended, Lacayo denied any improper use of campaign funds and accused Bermdez of making desperate claims as his polls showed him trailing. In last August’s election, Bermdez received 66 percent of the vote in his campaign for Miami-Dade Commission District 12, while Lacayo received 34 percent. This is not Sophia Lacayo’s first conflict with the law. She was charged with perjury in 2019 after she was elected as a Sweetwater commissioner and lied about her residency. Lacayo was subsequently sentenced to one year of probation. She promised to leave her post as part of her plea deal in 2020, but documents about the case were released despite her lawyer’s initial attempt to seal them.
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education