Hialeah hairdresser Aida Perez, whose introduction is always followed by "she's Felipito's mom," doesn't live in the City of Progress. So she can't vote there. But she drove her sister to early voting at the John F. Kennedy library Tuesday and got to spend a little time with former Mayor Raul Martinez and some of his Back to the Future slate (who her sister apparently bubbled for). Perez, who also drove friends to the early voting site over the weekend, is not like any other voter's sister. She is mother to Luis Felipe Perez, the Hialeah jeweler and convicted ponzi schemer whose ties to former Mayor Julio Robaina and alcaldito Carlos Hernandez have opened a can of shadow banking worms for federal authorities to fish with. And she knew her presence -- a week after his loans to Felipito were made public in The Miami Herald -- was making Hernandez sweat.
So did Martinez and former Mayor Julio "The Replacement" Martinez and former cop and council candidate Danny Bolaños and Fire Union Vice President Eric Johnson, who enjoyed it thoroughly. So did Ladra, in all honesty. Meeting Aida Perez, having her be so open with me and forthcoming, getting her phone number and photos has been the highlight of the early voting Day 4 so far. I must say it even surpassed the "Political Cafecito" stand that former State Sen. Rudy Garcia, also running for mayor, had set up in my honor. (See, alcaldito? He doesn't think I'm working for the other side. You could embrace me, too.)"El que metio la pata no se llama ni Felipito ni el joyero. Se llama Roberto Blanco," Perez said about the other man implicated in the shadow banking business with Robaina and Hernandez (and to Councilwoman Vivian Casals-Muñoz, who also loaned money and notarized many of the transactions). "The one who stuck his foot in his mouth is not named Felipito nor the jewelery. His name is Roberto Blanco."
Perez said her son was doing well, both physically and mentally, because his conscience was clear. "He says he rests well. His soul is clean. He feels fine and can look himself in the mirror," Aida Perez said. "He didn't hurt anyone. He didn't kill anyone. He didn't cheat anyone. He didn't fool anyone. The one who does all that is, look over there," she added, signaling to where Hernandez was. "He simply made money for himself and for other poeple." Last December, Felipito Perez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for securities fraud in connection with a $40 million Ponzi scheme and (concurrently) five years in prison in connection with a $12 million bank fraud scheme. But he also seems to be cooperating with the authorities about su alcaldito's role in the shadow banking business, having provided the Miami Herald with copies of 37 checks written out to Hernandez and his company for $3,000 or $2,400 -- the exact amount of the interest that he was to be charged. Hernandez has flip-flopped on that also, telling journalists at first that all he got was interest and that he was not paid his principal and -- after realizing he was amitting to tax evasion -- switched it and said that he had only got paid part of his principal and no interest. Yeah, riiiiight.Anyway, Aida Perez has no love for Hernandez. She did not say hi to him. And while he and part of his Seguro Que Yes gang -- Council President Isis "Gavelgirl" Garcia-Martinez and Pablito "Huh?" Hernandez -- watched and whispered in a tight huddle, Perez laughed at the sight of their nervous peeping. Shortly after, su acaldito left with his security bodyguard, Glen "The Goon" Rice. (Could he have been headed to a public housing building in West Hialeah where lines for section 8 had grown super long? We hope nobody was promised housing for votes).
But the star of the day so far is Aida Perez, a funny, up-front and forthcoming lady. And Ladra really needs to have her hair done, so an appointment -- and more friendly chat -- is in the future.
Is this Lady for REAL? "He says he rests well. His soul is clean. He feels fine and can look himself in the mirror. He didn't hurt anyone. He didn't kill anyone. He didn't cheat anyone." Why don't you go and ask Luis Estrada that lost both his business and went bankrupt BECAUSE of HER SON. Ask the elderly couple that lost their LIFE SAVING to his scam. OR his employees that he also involved in his criminal activity under threat and are now facing jail time. I know they are not flashy stupid politicians but maybe that is why nobody cares. And is that Eric Johnson I see embracing the mother of a heartless criminal THAT IS IN JAIL???? Wow talk about irony. This lady has big cojones showing up and saying it's not her son's fault that he is in jail. I guess we know who Luis Perez learned to lie from, I guess the fruit does not fall far from the tree.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed it was me Embracing a hardened Criminals mother. Remember this if you have children. Despite their mistakes, crimes, etc, they are still your children.. You have eternal love NO MATTER WHAT. You will always strive to protect them no matter what the general publics opinion might be. So many people lost their life savings/investments due to one persons greed but many others fed and fostered on this greed and participated as well... In case you did not know some of those people are former Mayor Julio Robaina, and Current Mayor Carlos hernandez. Both willfully and knowingly contributed to a fraudulent individual to SCAM other investors.. Dont tell me they did not know.. B.S. That is crap.
ReplyDeleteTruth In what I call scum bag politics. Here's an interesting tid bit of information that I'm sure our "Little Fidel" doesn't want anyone to know about. Julio Del Rey ,that donated $6000 to Martinez's campaign is a mafioso that started his illegal Racquets in Puerto Rico but had to leave the island for fear of being assassinated, as his brother was, from rival bosses in P.R. What a better business than motels in Hialeah to launder money specially when you have a "Crook' with a capitol "C" in charge like our "Little Fidel" as I like to call him. What do you think of that Hialeah voters.
ReplyDeleteI do not think anyone should attack a mother defending her son, her only son, a son that she raised alone with the help of her brother Rolando, RIP, and the Blanco she refers to, is a chivato, who turned State Evidence to get his cousin in jail and he is free to continue his politics and campaigning when he should be in jail also, Felipito deserved what he got, but his mother is in enough pain, and she will always defend him, as a mother should, stop being cruel to a woman who will suffer for many years being separated from her only son, that is all she sees, her son in jail.
ReplyDeleteI respect Raul for having the guts to speak to her in camera, when so many other politicians would shy away from her. Guys politics is politics, and as per donations, please, most of the big money in this County is old drug money, but everyone turns a blind eye, unless the other candidate is given money and theirs is not, if this guy from Puerto Rico was giving money to everyone, no one would be saying anything. And consider all three Mayoral candidates have or are being investigagted for some criminal activity, hey, do not throw rocks!!