The Broward State Attorney's Office dropped the bribery and money laundering charges against Alex Díaz de la Portilla, former Miami commissioner, and his co-defendant William Riley Jr.
The prosecutors determined that the available evidence was insufficient to build a strong case in court.
Díaz de la Portilla, arrested in September 2023, faced 14 charges, including money laundering, bribery, and violations of campaign finance laws.
Riley was accused of acting as an intermediary for a company that allegedly delivered $245,000 in exchange for the former commissioner's support for a sports project in a downtown Miami park. Both pleaded not guilty from the outset of the proceedings.
The judicial document issued by the Prosecutor's Office notes that the review of the evidence revealed inconsistencies in the testimonies and significant weaknesses in the key elements of the charges presented.
This lack of support led the Broward prosecutor,Harold Pryorto conclude that there was no reasonable likelihood of obtaining a conviction.
Following the arrest of Díaz de la Portilla, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order immediately suspending him from his position as commissioner of District 1 in Miami.
The order also prohibited him from performing official duties, receiving payments, and enjoying benefits related to his public office while the investigation was ongoing.
The case, originally assigned to Miami-Dade County, was moved to Broward to avoid conflicts of interest. According to the Prosecutor's Office, while the allegations raised concern, the available evidence did not conclusively support the accusations.
Díaz de la Portilla, born in Little Havana and the son of Cuban exiles, has an extensive political career. He served as a senator in Florida until 2010 and returned to the public sphere in 2019 when he was elected as a commissioner for Miami.
The dismissal of the charges leaves Díaz de la Portilla and Riley free from the accusations that had put their careers on hold. This outcome closes a legal chapter that initially suggested potential irregularities in the use of their public offices.
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