No comment from former Miami-Dade Commission candidate after bonding out on campaign finance charges

MIAMI – Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle held a press conference Wednesday following the arrest of a former Miami-Dade County Commission candidate.

The MDSAO announced the arrest of 45-year-old Sophia Lacayo on campaign finance charges.

Lacayo was booked into jail early Tuesday evening on 21 charges of campaign finance violations.

The Miami Herald is reporting the arrest is related to Lacayo’s failed bid for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission last year, when she reported spending $1 million of her own money during her campaign.

She is accused of filing false campaign reports and failing to report campaign expenditures.

“The numbers provided in her sworn campaign documents didn’t add up,” said Fernandez Rundle on Wednesday.

Fernandez Rundle told Local 10 News that investigators were able to obtain Lacayo’s business records and campaign treasurer reports, which found loans that would be transferred between her business, personal and campaign accounts.

“Ultimately we discovered that Lacayo obtained from many individuals and companies and used these monies to fund her campaign for county commissioner,” she said. “We believe this was done to allegedly sidestep the campaign finance limitations.”

Fernandez Rundle confirmed that more than $450,000 was moved into Lacayo’s campaign account.

“These violations were not a product of inexperience or ignorance,” she said. “This is our second prosecution of Sophia Lacayo.”

Prior to running for county commission, Lacayo served as a Sweetwater commissioner, starting back in 2019, but she eventually resigned one year later after pleading guilty to a perjury charge for supposedly lying about where she lived.

Lacayo’s bond was set at more than $14,000, which she has since posted.

Lacayo had no comment for reporters as people with umbrellas surrounded her and attempted to hide her face as she exited jail and entered a vehicle.