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North Miami mayor surrenders to FBI, suspended by Gov.
NORTH MIAMI, Fla. -
The mayor of North Miami surrendered to federal authorities one day after
she was indicted in an $8 million mortgage fraud scheme.
Lucie Tondreau arrived at the FBI office in North Miami Beach shortly before
8:30 a.m. Tuesday. She was placed in handcuffs and led away to jail.
A federal judge ordered that Tondreau be held on $50,000 bond. She must also
surrender all passports, stay in South Florida and adhere to an 11 p.m. to
6 a.m. curfew. She is also forbidden from engaging in any employment
involving mortgages.
Gov. Rick Scott suspended Tondreau from office late Tuesday.
"Gov. Scott believes every public official should be held to the highest
ethical standards," spokesman John Tupps said in a statement.
An indictment unsealed Monday charges Tondreau and three others with wire
fraud conspiracy.
Prosecutors claim Tondreau and another defendant used a radio show to
recruit straw buyers who were used to defraud lenders in buying 20
properties.
The alleged crimes took place before Tondreau became mayor last June.
Tondreau's attorney, Benedict Kuehne, told Local 10 in a statement Monday
that the mayor "is disappointed the government charged her without giving
her legal team an opportunity to speak about the investigation. She has done
nothing wrong and fully expects to be vindicated so she can direct all her
energies to serving the people of North Miami who elected her to provide
leadership and positive direction to the city of North Miami."
Local 10 spoke to Tondreau upon her return from a Las Vegas convention
Tuesday night.
"No, it's a lie," Tondreau said when asked about the allegations. "It's a
lie. We're going to get through it."
Tondreau is the first Haitian-American woman to be elected mayor of North
Miami.
Her arraignment is scheduled for May 30 at 10 a.m. |
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