Connect with us

Florida

Florida Bar president accused of misappropriating $625,000

Published

on

Florida Bar president accused of misappropriating 5,000


A complaint filed with the Florida Bar alleges that Bar President Roland Sanchez-Medina misappropriated $625,000 in a real estate transaction.

The Florida Bar acknowledged to the Miami Herald an open complaint regarding Sanchez-Medina, who denies any wrongdoing.

“I categorically and unequivocally deny misappropriating $625,000,” Sanchez-Medina said in an email to the Miami Herald. “I have responded to the complaint denying the accusation.”

Sanchez-Medina’s responses reference three different answers he has given about the money: paid to one company, sitting in his law firm’s trust account, paid to another company.

Advertisement

Sanchez-Medina works out of SMGQ Law, a Coral Gables firm that gets its first two letters from “Sanchez-Medina.” He joined the Bar in 1992, has served as Cuban American Bar Association president and, last June, was sworn in as Florida Bar president.

Beyond stating the complaint was open, the Bar didn’t disclose the status of the investigation. But, Sanchez-Medina has been asked for financial data and bank records.

Klip, Sherman Campbell, a place in the Keys and $625,000

The complaint filed Nov. 15, 2024, by Homestead’s Christos “Nicko” Christidis concerns Sanchez-Medina’s conduct during a July 2018 commercial real estate deal between Klip, LLC and Robert Morgan III’s Sherman Campbell, LLC. That led to a plethora of civil lawsuits in addition to the Bar complaint.

State records at the time listed Christidis’ Somia LLC as Klip’s manager and William Holly’s TYG, LLC as an authorized member of KLIP.

KLIP was buying an insurance business, Underwriters Inc., as well as a two-story commercial building at 102481 Overseas Hwy. in Key Largo for $1.4 million from Morgan’s company.

Advertisement

Christidis’ complaint says Sanchez-Medina, while acting as KLIP’s attorney, held $625,000 of the real estate deal’s $1.4 million in his trust account, but never turned it over to Morgan. Christidis and Morgan, in a Miami-Dade lawsuit against Sanchez-Medina and Holly, said that money never made it to Morgan.

The lawsuit accused Sanchez-Medina and Holly of lying by “stating verbally and in First Closing Statement, drafted by [Sanchez-Medina], on July 13, 2018 that the $625,000.00 was an escrow holdback that would be released to [Morgan] upon the closing of the sale of the asset purchase agreement…”

Christidis’ complaint says Sanchez-Medina wired $539,021 of the $625,000 to Belgium’s Bercom, a company owned by Holly partner Jacques Barrabi.

Sanchez-Medina’s Jan. 7 response to the Bar complaint, authored by Smith, Tozian, Daniel & Davis’ Gwendolyn Daniel, denied Sanchez-Medina represented KLIP in the transaction. Also, it says the $539,021 came from Berrebi’s Actis Miami Corp (principal address: SMGQ’s Alhambra Circle law office) and “pertained to a separate transaction.”

Spend your days with Hayes

Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter

Advertisement

Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

“As Mr. Christidis well knows, the $539,021 is not related to the $625,000, which is still being held in trust.”

That was filed Jan. 7. That’s not what Sanchez-Medina’s side stated on Feb. 11.

Advertisement

Where does Sanchez-Medina say the money is?

A section of the Jan. 7 answer, headlined “The $625,000 Buyer’s Holdback remains safeguarded in SMGQ’s Trust Account” discusses what Sanchez-Medina said during a 2023 deposition.

Pointing out the time gap between the 2018 original deal and the 2023 deposition, Sanchez-Medina’s lawyer wrote he “had not refreshed his recollection regarding the KLIP transaction that had occurred almost five years earlier, and when asked by Mr. Christidis’ lawyer (Nathan Clark), Mr. Sanchez-Medina incorrectly believed that the $625,000 had been disbursed to KLIP.”

“Subsequently, Mr. Sanchez-Medina confirmed that the $625,000.00 has remained safeguarded in trust and has not been disbursed due to the ongoing disputes that are subject to active litigation.”

But, Morgan’s amended lawsuit includes a Feb. 11 correction by Sanchez-Medina written by his attorney.

“Regrettably, after reviewing additional documentation, Mr. Sanchez-Medina has realized that the funds were disbursed shortly after the 2018 closing, at the direction of William Holly, a 50-50 member of KLIP,” the response says. “On July 26, 2018, Mr. Holly, who had executed the closing documents on behalf of KLIP, directed Mr. Sanchez-Medina to issue a cashier’s check in the amount of $687,130.71 to the Broward County Property Appraiser’s Office for the benefit of JB Green.

Advertisement

“Mr. Holly’s check in the amount of $62,130.71 was deposited into Mr. Sanchez-Medina’s trust account on July 27, 2018,” the response continued. “This amount was combined with the $625,000 hold back amount to cover the cashier’s check in the amount of $687.130.71. Mr. Holly was a partial owner of JB Green and Mr. Christidis managed the building owned by JB Green.”

Also, the Feb. 11 response said, Sanchez-Medina looked at the asset purchase agreement again and that “refreshed his recollection that six years ago his firm represented KLIP in the potential acquisition of the insurance assets.”

But, he says, “he did not provide legal services involving KLIP” nor did he receive any attorney’s fees “related to the closing” from anyone.



Source link

Advertisement

Florida

Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship

Published

on

Florida high school football team pulls off miraculous touchdown to help win state championship


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A Florida high school state football championship finished with a phenomenal ending for one team and absolute heartbreak for the other on Saturday night.

Lake Mary High School was down six points with seven seconds left in the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 7A title game against Vero Beach. Noah Grubbs dropped back to pass and rolled to his right. He gained momentum and fired the ball, which was tipped and caught short of the goal line.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Advertisement

A Lake Mary quarterback looks to throw in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

As Vero Beach defenders tried to keep receiver Barrett Schultz out of the end zone, Schultz’s teammate Tavarius Brundidge Jr. came around and took the ball out of Schultz’s hands. Brundidge ran the ball into the end zone to complete the wild and chaotic play.

The touchdown tied the game, and Lake Mary would kick the extra point to win, 28-27.

INDIANA’S FERNANDO MENDOZA WINS 2025 HEISMAN TROPHY

A Lake Mary player in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, makes a catch at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Advertisement

“I was just hoping and praying like everyone else that he was going to come down with the football and Barrett did,” Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry said, via TC Palm. “… We were just going to keep fighting and fighting until the final whistle.”

Vero Beach tried to run out the clock the best they could. The team decided to take a safety with 12 seconds left, and gave the ball back to Lake Mary.

A Vero Beach player is stunned after the FHSAA Class 7A state championship, Dec. 13, 2025, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. (Crystal Vander Weit/TCPALM/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

It was the first state championship for Lake Mary in its history.

Advertisement

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Florida

Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente enjoy Florida day date on jet skis

Published

on

Gisele Bündchen and Joaquim Valente enjoy Florida day date on jet skis


Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente, soaked up the sun during a jet skiing date in Florida.

The model and the MMA athlete appeared in good spirits while on the water near their home in Surfside on Saturday.

They both stayed close to each other and sported life vests.

Gisele Bündchen and her boyfriend, Joaquim Valente, were seen soaking up the sun on jet skis. BACKGRID
The couple enjoyed a date day in Surfside, Fla., on Saturday. BACKGRID

Bündchen, 35, appeared to be wearing a white one-piece bathing suit underneath her vest.

Advertisement

She accessorized with sunglasses and styled her hair in a ponytail.

As for Valente, he sported black swim trunks.

At one point, the model was seen on the phone. BACKGRID
Bündchen sported a white swimsuit. BACKGRID

The couple, who have been romantically linked since 2023, enjoyed some quality time together after welcoming a son together in February.

While Bündchen and Valente have shied away from revealing too much about their infant, they recently took him out on a boat ride in September.

At the time, the former Victoria’s Secret model was seen cradling her son while her beau took the wheel.

Advertisement
She also wore a life vest. BACKGRID
The health guru accessorized with sunglasses. BACKGRID

Valente then adorably held onto their 10-month-old, as Bündchen watched in awe.

The health guru also shared a rare glimpse of her son alongside her 16-year-old son, Benjamin, in October.

The teenager adorably held onto his little brother while playing the piano.

She also wore her hair up. BACKGRID
Bündchen was seen on her phone while at a standstill. BACKGRID

Bündchen shares Benjamin and her daughter Vivian, 13, with her ex-husband, Tom Brady.

The exes were wed from 2009 to 2022.

Advertisement

The former NFL star also shares an 18-year-old son, Jack, with his ex Bridget Moynahan.



Source link

Continue Reading

Florida

Florida Class 4A state championship: How to watch American Heritage vs. Jones

Published

on

Florida Class 4A state championship: How to watch American Heritage vs. Jones


The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) football state championships continued last night down in Miami at Pitbull Stadium as the Raines Vikings upset the Northwestern Bulls for the the Class 3A state championship, provind the most exciting game of the week thus far. Another rematch from last year’s finals pits the American Heritage Patriots versus the Jones Tigers for the Class 4A state championship this afternoon. We preview the sixth of seven FHSAA state championship games as teams begin being crowned as champions of their classifications.

How to Watch American Heritage vs. Jones in Florida 4A state championship game

Date: Saturday, Dec. 13
Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Pitbull Stadium in Miami, Fla.
TV Channel: NFHS Network

American Heritage Players to Watch

QB Leon Strawder: Strawder is making his second consecutive appearance in a state championship game, this time with a different team, however. The senior has thrown for 2,052 yards and 19 touchdowns.

WR Jamar Denson: Of the star-studded wide receiving corps for American Heritage, its Denson who has been Mr. Reliable thus far this season. Throughout the course of the season, Denson has hauled in 69 passes for 991 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Advertisement

WR Jeffar Jean-Noel: The Georgia Tech commit has been the second option behind Denson on offense, with Jean-Noel catching 57 passes for 795 yards and six touchdowns.

LB Dylan Bennett: Anchoring the front seven of the Patriots’ defense is the senior linebacker, who currently leads the team with 61 total tackles, 17 them going for a loss and five sacks.

Jones Players to Watch

QB Dereon Coleman: The Miami signee is as calm as they come in the pocket as the senior quarterback has thrown for 2,749 yards, 28 touchdowns and only three picks this Florida high school football season.

WR Larry Miles: Coleman’s favorite target to throw to is the Nebraska signee as the senior looks to end his high school career with a state crown. Miles has caught 88 passes for 1,111 and 10 touchdowns.

OL Xavier Payne: The 6-foot-7, 275-pound Colorado offensive tackle signee will have the job of making sure Coleman stands upright throughout the afternoon against American Heritage’s pass rush.

Advertisement

EDGE Frederick Ards: The 2027 four-star EDGE rusher for the Tigers has been superb, racking up 73 tackles, 13 for loss and 11 sacks.

Where to Watch the Florida Class 4A state championship on livestream:

You can watch the American Heritage Patriots take on the Jones Tigers starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on NFHS Network.

For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Sunshine State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Florida.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending