JSO Union Chief Nelson Cuba and other arrested for racketeering?

[Ralph W]

Just heard this on the 5 o'clock news. What's going on?

[Josh]

That was a huge surprise to hear. Especially considering how much of a presence Cuba has in the local media. His accent finally makes sense!

[Cheshire Cat]

Allegations of online Casino gambling via "Allied Veterans".  Six year investigation leading to arrests of Cuba and his VP Robbie Freitas.  This is going to be quite a blow to members of the FOP and JSO.  Innocent until proved guilty, but this is not looking pretty!

Some of you may remember the sizable battle between Allied Veterans and the City over their gambling operations a few years back.  There was rumbling at the time.  It has been alleged in the past that the online casino efforts were being attacked by the operator of the Horse Race Track in Orange Park and some accusations made.  Not sure if the investigation is an outcropping of those original allegations or not.  Interested to learn the details of what actually transpired.

The FOP board of trustees has been called to name a temporary replacement for Cuba. 

The legal action against Allied Veterans of the World, Cuba and Freitas is apparently been taken under the Rico law.  Ouch, some serious stuff.  Allied Veterans is supposed to be non profit yet millions upon millions were being funneled into a "for profit" entity.  Seventy percent of the take of Allied was supposed to go to charities but has not been received according to investigators.  The amount given to charities is about 2%.

Media does not know what Nelson's involvement in this, nor the connection to Frettas at this point.  The deal has tentacles into south Florida and this may be where Nelson is connected.  Nelson is Cuban with family and connections down in south Florida.  The investigation has been underway since 2007. 

[thelakelander]

Here's a link to the FTU's article:

The head of the local Fraternal Order of Police Union and his first vice president were arrested on racketeering charges by FDLE Tuesday morning, according to a source close to the investigation.

The arrests of FOP President Nelson Cuba and the group’s vice president Robbie Freitas stem from a national investigation of St. Augustine-based Allied Veterans of America.

Sweepstakes operating under Allied Veterans earned over $290 million from 207 to January 2012, the search application said.

During that time, investigators found evidence of more than $6 million of what appeared to charitable donations by Allied Veterans, but that was only about 2 percent of the $290 million in proceeds made from gambling operations during that time, according to the search application.

full article: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-03-12/story/fop-president-nelson-cuba-arrested-racketeering-charges

[Cheshire Cat]

Eight Jacksonville Internet Cafe's have been closed as a part of this sting.   This is happening in many states.  Jerry Bass who heads up Allied Veterans of the World has also been arrested.  The original search warrant is out of Oklahoma!

[Tacachale]

Yikes.

[Cheshire Cat]

FOP has said they know of no allegations to the FOP entity and the arrests of Nelson and Freitas apparently stem from some private business ties.  They were arrested in Ft. Lauderdale while attending a pension conference. 

Note:  The charges are against Allied Veterans of the World and not the other organizations also called Allied Veterans who serve the military community.

[fsquid]

corrupt union bosses? who would have thought?

[Cheshire Cat]

From my inside tract and not in media yet.  It appears that Cuba and Freitas were caught up in a general sweep of a number of internet cafes.  Their names do not appear in much of the documentation and their business connections, the ones that got them into trouble, are with the Jacksonville cafe's, eight of which were shut down today by the IRS and Secret Service.

The FOP isn't a target, but is an affiliate to the Allied Veterans Worldwide.  That affiliation will be dropped a.s.a.p. 

[copperfiend]

Eight Jacksonville Internet Cafe's have been closed as a part of this sting. 

Good. Those places are awful.

[spuwho]

In some states it is legal to say you give a portion of your money to charity and have it be some low amount.

In Illinois it is 2% of what you raise.

But I have to admit, it caught me by surprise to hear that the "walking talking point" for the union getting arrested.

[Cheshire Cat]

FOP FB message to union members

Brothers and Sisters, by now I am sure that you have heard of the arrest by FDLE of our President and 1st Vice president. At this time there is little information known with regards to the circumstances surrounding the arrest and investigation. What is known is that Jacksonville Lodge 5-30 has not been implicated in any way. No one at the Lodge has been contacted by FDLE or any other investigative body.

On behalf of the FOP 5-30 Executive Board, we want you the membership to know that there are By-Laws in place that allow for the continued and normal operation of the Lodge. It is our intention to keep the membership apprised as new developments arise. This is a very fluid situation and unfortunately we don’t have any answers for the many questions that you must have at this time. As your 2nd Vice President, I will serve as the interim Lodge President due to the absence of the President and 1st V.P.

I hope to have more information for you in the near future.

Fraternally
Steve Amos 

[Seraphs]

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...

[Garden guy]

This is no surprise...id like to know how much of this cash went to support an election for someone..nasty cash paying for a senator or gov...the idea that the second vp knew nothing is ridiculously..

[simonsays]

And now the Lt Gov has resigned......

http://jacksonville.com/news/2013-03-13/story/florida-lt-gov-jennifer-carroll-resigns