JSO Union Chief Nelson Cuba and other arrested for racketeering?

[FSBA]

As far as the legality of the internet cafes, I don't get how in one breathe we can say that a poker room the size of a Wal-Mart is ok  but these cafes are some blight to society.

If nothing else, hopefully this will give someone the chance to take a look at some sacred cows that the FOP have been keeping under wraps *cough*Pension Fund*cough*

[Cheshire Cat]

Investigators did say they were going to look into other gambling operations not connected to Allied Veterans.  I would not be surprised if the poker room you mention is on the list. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Here is the perspective shared by Jim Bailey of the Daily Record.  I think he expresses the feelings of many in Jacksonville watching this debacle unravel.

The first blast occurred when the news dropped that several people, including Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba, had been arrested as a result of a wide-ranging racketeering investigation into Allied Veterans of the World and its Internet cafes.

Shortly afterward, I was again stunned when Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll abruptly resigned, apparently caught in the web of alleged corruption involving Allied Veterans. At the heart of the investigation is what really happened to the $300 million the organization made from slot-machinelike devices it operated across Florida.

Yesterday came the third blast, when federal, state and local law enforcement officials held a breathtaking news conference to outline the current extent of the alleged corruption and deceit.

By now the media has been filled with as much information as it can extract and we know that more than 50 people have been arrested on counts that include money laundering, ownership of slot machines and lottery. Until proved otherwise, all of the individuals involved must be presumed to be innocent.

Allied Veterans claims it is a nonprofit geared toward helping veterans. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Wednesday called the operation "an elaborate gambling scheme."

When I first heard the news Tuesday, I was stunned and disappointed.

One of the biggest surprises for me was the arrest of Jacksonville attorney Kelly Mathis, the lawyer for Allied Veterans. I thought there must be some mistake.

But in the Wednesday news conference, law enforcement officials said Mathis was the "mastermind" of the alleged scheme and personally pocketed more than $6 million.

So far, Carroll is the only elected official in the group, but others arrested like Cuba, Mathis and Jerry Bass, national commander of Allied Veterans, have high public profiles.

We know these people.

We've trusted these people.

How could this happen?

And, what does all of this do to the public's trust?



http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=538987 

[Bridges]

Wow!  Wonder how Cuba's girl, Angela Corey, feels about all this.  It seems this will be federal so she won't have to throw the book at him herself.  Hmmm, unpretty...

She might be the one dodging books just shortly...rumors swirling.

[Cheshire Cat]

Wow!  Wonder how Cuba's girl, Angela Corey, feels about all this.  It seems this will be federal so she won't have to throw the book at him herself.  Hmmm, unpretty...

She might be the one dodging books just shortly...rumors swirling.

This is going to get sticky for those in politics that had close associations with Nelson.  Angela had a huge supporter in him during her campaign, but I have to tell you I would be stunned if she had any real involvement in this.

What are you hearing Bridges?

[YellowBluffRoad]

Good article from the Orland paper:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-internet-cafe-scandal-investigation-20130314,0,1679535.story

Two excerpts:

Meanwhile, an Orlando Sentinel review of the state campaign-contribution records shows that Allied, its affiliated entities and top players have made at least $1.3 million in political contributions during the past four years to political parties as well as key legislators who had power to influence state gaming laws.

The contributions â€" including at least $327,000 to the Republican Party of Florida and $207,000 to the Florida Democratic Party â€" were backed by a $1.2 million lobbying campaign that successfully blocked efforts to regulate or ban Internet cafes such as the ones run by Allied. Now lawmakers are rushing to ban the cafes â€" and the parties are rushing to give the money to charity.

The company claimed to donate 70 percent to 100 percent of its proceeds to charity but in reality gave away roughly 2 percent, according to records.

[Cheshire Cat]

Good article from the Orland paper:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-internet-cafe-scandal-investigation-20130314,0,1679535.story

Two excerpts:

Meanwhile, an Orlando Sentinel review of the state campaign-contribution records shows that Allied, its affiliated entities and top players have made at least $1.3 million in political contributions during the past four years to political parties as well as key legislators who had power to influence state gaming laws.

The contributions â€" including at least $327,000 to the Republican Party of Florida and $207,000 to the Florida Democratic Party â€" were backed by a $1.2 million lobbying campaign that successfully blocked efforts to regulate or ban Internet cafes such as the ones run by Allied. Now lawmakers are rushing to ban the cafes â€" and the parties are rushing to give the money to charity.

The company claimed to donate 70 percent to 100 percent of its proceeds to charity but in reality gave away roughly 2 percent, according to records.

Amazing isn't it?  All of this speaks to what I have been trying to impart to others about business, politics and the often questionable alliances they form in this city and state. This is a big story in that the wrongdoers have been exposed.  Very often that never happens.  The tentacles of this deal go pretty deep and I will not be surprised if it  leads to another can of worms being opened.  What folks should take from this is the fact that what they see and believe about some folks in roles of authority or leadership are not who they seem to be and there are many, many of them right here in Jacksonville.

[Cheshire Cat]

Nelson Cuba has officially been removed from his seat as President of the FOP Foundation, but is still officially the President of the FOP organization.

Nelson Cuba has been removed as president of the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police Foundation.

The foundation board made the change Thursday, two days after Cuba was arrested as part of a $300 million racketeering and money laundering scheme. He remains jailed in Seminole County, as does union first vice president Robbie Freitas.

David Stevens, a retired chief, returns as the foundation’s president. He left the foundation meeting before it ended and could not be reached for comment afterward

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2013-03-14/story/cuba-removed-fop-foundation-president#ixzz2NYyMMPP5

[Garden guy]

If Cuba has got hands down south..i wonder how much money went to the Rubio camp.
Its going to be interesting to follow the cash

[Noone]

Complete and total out of control corruption. The FBI in Jacksonville is economic development.

Has anyone heard a bid price for the slab of concrete for the Jacobs clock yet? That should be big news too.

Plan on doing a RICO paddle on our St. John River our American Heritage River a FEDERAL Initiative in our new DIA zone. I know I'm all in.

[Cheshire Cat]

CC, I think the proper word would be "laundered" not "funneled".

DW, I thought you would be interested to know that the charges were read in court today as "funneling" money against Cuba and Freitas.   Apparently that is the legal term. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Following the money trail.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Action News is uncovering more of the money trail left by those involved in Operation Reveal the Deal.

A search of campaign finance records reveals 15 of Jacksonville's current city council members received campaign donations from people or businesses involved in the investigation.

That includes President Bill Bishop who says he never questioned donations made by local attorney Kelly Mathis, who is said to be the mastermind behind the scheme, or Seaside Technologies, a South Carolina-based company that is now being investigated.

"It's not uncommon for elected officials to look through the lists of those that have donated, but if the money is coming from what we think is a reputable source, there's no real reason to question it."

Bishop says he wouldn't be surprised if the people and businesses involved gave to hundreds of local, state, and federal leaders.

"Every lobbyist donates to various entities that they think are going to be helpful to their cause. That's how it works."

Sheriff John Rutherford has acknowledged he received donations from some of those arrested, but says refusing the money may have hindered the investigation.

"I called for the investigation so I knew they were being looked at, but I didn't want to arouse their suspicions and tip them off in any way."

Action News has, so far, found a total of $4,500 given to the sheriff over the years, including contributions from the FOP and Davis Internet. Mazen Salloum, Nelson Cuba and Michael Ryles who were all arrested Tuesday, also contributed.

State Attorney Angela Corey received a total of $1,200 from former FOP Vice President Robbie Freitas, the FOP, and Bass Consulting, the company operated by Jerry Bass.

In addition to local leaders, both the Republican Party of Florida and the Florida Democratic Party are searching their records for donations made by those involved.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content/topstories/story/Uncovering-the-money-trail/kYAV4BtFLEWOacjqIfsRUw.cspx

[Dog Walker]

CC, I think the proper word would be "laundered" not "funneled".

DW, I thought you would be interested to know that the charges were read in court today as "funneling" money against Cuba and Freitas.   Apparently that is the legal term. 

And I was being sarcastic!  It's going to interesting to see the voting records of the legislators some of that money was funneled to.  Seems that gambling corrupts everybody that get close to it.

[Cheshire Cat]

We need a sarcasm smiley.  lol

[Cheshire Cat]

Kelly Mathis, the alleged master mind behind the Veterans Internet Cafe scandal is out on bail after it was reduced from 1 million dollars to 200K

Prominent Jacksonville attorney Kelly Mathis, the man investigators call the mastermind of a $290 million Internet cafe illegal gambling operation, was posting bail Friday and being released from jail after his bond was reduced from $1 million to $200,000.
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For the third day in a row, Mathis and 17 others arrested on thousands of charges in connection with the racketeering investigation of Allied Veterans of the World were in a Seminole County jail while their attorneys argued for them to be released on bond.

Conditions of the bonds include surrendering passports and not leaving the state.

The group of suspects includes Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police President Nelson Cuba, Vice President Robbie Freitas, and co-owner of the nonprofit group at the center of the investigation, Jerry Bass

http://www.news4jax.com/news/Alleged-mastermind-of-Internet-cafe-scheme-to-be-released-on-bail/-/475880/19329552/-/h8hxqlz/-/index.html