MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a news conference Tuesday afternoon to announce the arrests of past and present board members of the Hammocks Homeowners Association.
Fernandez Rundle’s office confirmed Tuesday morning that there have been multiple arrests for thefts of funds from the association.
Those arrested were Marglli Gallego, Monica Ghilardi, Jose Antonio Gonzalez, Myriam Rodgers and Yoleidis Lopez.
Residents have expressed outrage about the Hammocks HOA for years already, and the issue even got the attention of Cuban singer Willy Chirino, who earlier this year called for an investigation into the HOA after questions were raised about elections, the arrest of its former president for theft, and a notable increase in fees.
Hammocks resident, Ana Danton, said she and her neighbors living in 40 subdivisions were being held hostage.
“We are celebrating that the homeowners are free. This is like a cancer. This is something that is spreading all around. We’re not the only community that is going through this,” said Danton.
Some fees went up almost 400%, residents told Local 10 News.
“400% is abusive,” said Alejandro Gonzalez, of Los Pichy Boys, a group of social media influencers. “There are a lot of senior citizens living here, people that are retired. This is going to affect them.”
Los Pichy Boys call the Hammocks in southwest Miami-Dade County home.
“These people are supposed to be working for us,” Gonzalez said. “These people are to be working with us so we can have a better life for our families, for our community. Not to be feeling like we are living in a micro-dictatorship.”
At a news conference Tuesday, Fernandez Rundle said board members stole more than $1 million in an “organized crime scheme.”
“The board annually collected approximately $4 million in dues that were paid by the homeowners,” she said. “It appears that most of those funds and millions of HOA reserves are gone.”
Those arrested are being held on bonds totaling more than $2.8 million.
Local 10 News reached out to Attorney Napolean Hilton, who had been representing the association earlier this year. His response was “no comment.”