Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla is no longer facing charges following an investigation into alleged bribery and money laundering, prosecutors said. NBC6’s Hatzel Vela reports
Former Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla is no longer facing charges following an investigation into alleged bribery and money laundering, prosecutors said.
The Broward State Attorney's Office announced Wednesday that they were dropping all charges against Diaz de la Portilla and co-defendant William Riley Jr.
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Both men were arrested in September 2023 and the case was reassigned from Miami-Dade to Broward to avoid any possible conflict of interest.
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But in a statement and closeout memo, prosecutors said they were dropping the criminal charges.
"While these allegations raised serious concerns, a thorough review of the evidence that has been discovered through extensive follow-up investigation and depositions revealed significant weaknesses in the case," the memo read. "Witness testimony proved inconsistent and critical elements of the crimes charged cannot be supported by the evidence."
In his statement, Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor said prosecutors "concluded there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction."
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Diaz de la Portilla had been accused of accepting $245,000 in exchange for voting to approve the construction of a sports facility.
He was arrested on 14 counts, including money laundering, unlawful compensation, bribery, criminal conspiracy, official misconduct, campaign finance violations, and failing to disclose gifts.
A statement on behalf of Diaz de la Portilla called the dropped charges "complete vindication for Alex, who did not do anything wrong."
"We thank the Broward State Attorney’s Office for its thoughtful and correct decision that ends the weaponized use of prosecutorial power in this case," the statement read in part. "When this case was first brought at a time chosen for election interference, Alex Diaz de la Portilla promised the community that he had done nothing wrong. Today is a clear demonstration of the fulfillment of his promise."
Riley, a Miami attorney, was facing eight charges after he was accused of being the front for the business that allegedly gave money to the Diaz de la Portilla campaign in exchange for the right to build a sports facility on land that is now a downtown city park.
Both men had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Diaz de la Portilla is a former state legislator and was elected to the city commission in 2019. He was suspended by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after his arrest and lost a runoff for the seat in last year's election.
