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The Cuban-American Lubby Navarro, former vice chair of the Miami-Dade School Board, was sentenced this Tuesday to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty of third-degree grand theft for using over 100,000 dollars from the school district's funds for unauthorized personal purchases.
As part of an agreement reached with the Miami-Dade state prosecutor's office, Navarro, 51, will serve a sentence of one year and two months in prison, followed by three years of probation; additionally, he will be required to repay $101,109 to the district and is prohibited from holding government positions during his probation period.
As part of the plea agreement, the prosecution agreed to drop a second charge of grand theft and two counts of organized fraud, a decision that prevented a trial that was scheduled for this month of April.
During the hearing, the former official addressed the affected students directly: "I want to start by apologizing to the children of the Miami-Dade public schools."
According to prosecutors, Navarro made fraudulent purchases in 2022 using credit cards issued by the school district, before resigning from his position in December of that year.
More than $92,000 were spent at establishments such as Walmart, Apple, Amazon, Gucci, and BrandsMart, on items that included appliances, electronic devices, clothing, health and beauty products, furniture, food, and more than 178 gift cards.
Another $9,000 was allocated to unauthorized travel expenses: plane tickets, hotels, car rentals, and meals for trips to the Dominican Republic with his mother, to Las Vegas with his then-boyfriend, and to Disney World for his family.
Some of the funds were also used to purchase equipment for her partner's business in Fort Lauderdale, including a commercial-grade refrigerator, a chest freezer, a wine cooler, and an espresso machine.
The investigation, led by the Miami-Dade Inspector General, Félix Giménez, along with the anti-corruption unit of the prosecutor's office, also revealed that Navarro was altering and forging receipts to conceal expenses from the district's administrative staff.
The authorities arrested Navarro immediately after the court hearing this Tuesday.
Navarro was arrested in January 2024 after an investigation began when the district's credit cards in her possession were not reconciled following her resignation.
Born in Havana and residing in Miami for over 35 years, Navarro had built a distinguished political career: she was appointed a member of the School Board of District 7 by Governor Rick Scott in 2015, became the board's vice president, and in June 2022 was elected president of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
After her arrest, she lost her honorary doctorate and was placed on administrative leave by the South Broward Hospital District, where she worked as a lobbyist.
The state attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle issued a statement this Tuesday in which she was emphatic in assessing the case: "Public officials hold positions of authority and trust to ensure the safety and quality of life of those who live in our community, not to use public funds for personal gain. Instead of trying to evade the consequences of their actions, Lubby Navarro has admitted her guilt and accepted her sentencing, which includes prison."
Fernández Rundle stated that her team of prosecutors and public corruption investigators will continue to ensure "that the government operates for the people of Miami-Dade County, not for the economic benefit of those in office or positions of power."
The corruption case also prompted the Miami-Dade School District to implement new policies regarding the use of institutional credit cards and training for board members.
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