Sophia Lacayo was detained on suspicion of campaign finance violations. Follow the legal progress of the former Miami-Dade County Commission candidate.
Sophia Lacayo is a former Sweetwater commissioner and candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission. When it was determined that she did not live inside the municipal limits required to run for office, she faced legal concerns, including a perjury trial in 2020.
Sophia Lacayo Has Been Arrested And Charged
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Sophia Lacayo, 45, a former Sweetwater commissioner, was arrested and charged with campaign finance violations on Tuesday. The arrest came after an investigation by the State Attorney’s Office Task Force. According to the Miami Herald, a CBS News Miami partner, the claims stem from a possible violation of campaign finance rules.
Lacayo has a history of legal issues, in addition to the latest charges. She was charged with perjury in 2020 after allegedly failing to meet the City Charter’s residency requirement for holding office. Lacayo resigned as Sweetwater commissioner as part of a plea deal that rescued her from prison after she was charged with lying.
Lacayo’s previous candidacy for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission is linked to the recent arrest. Lacayo claimed to have spent $1,000,000 of her own money on the campaign at the time, according to the Miami Herald. The facts of the suspected forged campaign materials that led to her incarceration are still unknown. A news conference has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at the State Attorney’s Office in Miami, during which further information about the claims is likely to be provided.
Is Sophia Lacayo, a Political Party Candidate, in Jail?
Sophia Lacayo, a former candidate for the Miami-Dade County Commission’s 12th district, was detained on Tuesday afternoon and is charged with 21 offenses related to the origin and use of campaign funds. She was detained at Miami International Airport and sent to the Turner Guilford Knight Jail in Miami-Dade County.
Bail for the campaign financing accusations is set at $14,500. During her campaign against former Doral Mayor Juan Carlos Bermudez, questions were raised about the source of Bermudez’s $1.9 million. According to Lacayo’s campaign finance filings, she earned a major portion of the money herself.
Furthermore, enterprises with Lacayo identified as the owner contributed the maximum allowable amount of $1,000, and some of these businesses had received federal government assistance throughout the outbreak under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). A Political Action Committee (PAC) expressed concern about donations from firms that had received government loans.
Lacayo rejected any improper use of campaign finances after the early voting period concluded and accused Bermdez of making desperate claims when polls showed him down. Bermdez earned 66 percent of the vote in the previous year’s August elections for Miami-Dade Commission District 12, while Lacayo received 34 percent.
Sophia Lacayo has had previous run-ins with the authorities. In 2019, she was charged with perjury after being elected Sweetwater commissioner and lying about her address. Lacayo was later sentenced to a year of probation. She agreed to resign as part of her plea agreement in 2020, but the case records were made public despite her lawyer’s initial efforts to keep them sealed.
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