PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The Florida Board of Professional Engineers has escalated its actions against Enrique Fernandez by issuing a second cease-and-desist letter following a Local 10 News investigation.
As Local 10 News Investigator Jeff Weinsier reported in November, Fernandez was found to have posed as his deceased father to conduct unauthorized engineering inspections, violating state regulations and professional standards.
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The latest cease-and-desist letter extends to Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale and several additional properties that were previously unknown to the investigators. This expansion indicates a more extensive pattern of misconduct and unauthorized practice, prompting the Board to take stronger measures to address the violations.
The state’s investigator is currently preparing a formal complaint to be presented to the board’s Probable Cause Panel in March. The panel is expected to:
- Authorize an administrative complaint: Based on the evidence, the panel will likely approve the issuance of an administrative complaint against Fernandez.
- Recommend a penalty: Given the number of projects and the severity of the violations, the panel is anticipated to recommend a substantial penalty. Past cases suggest that fines could be significant, potentially exceeding previous amounts imposed.
Fernandez may be required to pay substantial fines for his unauthorized activities.
Enrique Fernandez denies the accusations. Speaking with Weinsier, he insisted that he never forged any inspection reports or compromised public safety. However, a state investigator has expressed serious concerns over potential dangers posed by improperly conducted inspections. The controversy centers around multiple building inspection reports, including those at 3900 Alton Road, a nine-story residential building in Miami Beach, and the redevelopment and renovations of Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale.
Both projects included a series of plumbing, electrical, and mechanical inspections signed under the name “Enrique Fernandez” using Florida Professional Engineer license number 21218.
The issue? The real Enrique Fernandez, the original holder of that license, passed away in 2018.
Fernandez claims that the signatures are not his. He asserts that someone else is responsible for these forgeries. When confronted with documents bearing his alleged signature, Fernandez responded, “That is not mine, sir.”
The Florida Board of Professional Engineers, based in Tallahassee, is actively investigating the case. They issued a cease-and-desist order to prevent Fernandez from practicing engineering without a license, and building departments throughout Miami-Dade County were alerted to the alleged forgeries.
The board’s investigator, who asked not to be identified due to the scope of her work, shared her concerns, saying she believes Fernandez has put lives in danger.
“He’s done a job he wasn’t qualified for. These are big buildings. Unless and until something fails. Of course, you don’t necessarily know,” she said.
“He renewed his father’s engineering license after he passed away. He changed the information and the system so that emails went to him,” the investigator added. In a previous case, similar to this, the defendant in that case was arrested and charged.
When asked by Weinsier what keeps her up at night regarding this investigation, the investigator said, “Waiting for another building to fall down for more people to die.”
In a statement, NV5, a private engineering firm in Hollywood, confirmed that Fernandez was briefly employed by them but was dismissed after failing to provide a valid engineering license. NV5 stated that any claims of forgery during his employment were “absolutely false.”
The company has since brought in a licensed forensic engineer to re-inspect all areas where Fernandez was involved. Yet, the new reports appear nearly identical to the original documents, with only a different engineer’s signature and new dates.
The Pier 66 developer, Tavistock, responded to the controversy, calling it an “unfortunate event” and emphasizing its commitment to safety, having enlisted third-party engineers to ensure compliance.
Authorities and the developers stress that all projects linked to Fernandez have since undergone re-inspections, particularly in Miami-Dade, where panels were re-opened to verify that all components met safety codes.
Florida law allows private providers, like licensed engineers or architects, to perform inspections for new construction projects to expedite timelines and reduce government backlog. Such inspectors are required to conduct thorough safety checks comparable to those of government inspectors. However, questions linger about whether stricter oversight might be necessary to prevent incidents like this in the future.
This case recalls the devastating Surfside building collapse, underscoring the critical importance of qualified professionals in structural safety. The investigation remains ongoing, and Fernandez, who has retained legal representation, continues to deny all accusations, asserting, “They have the wrong Enrique Fernandez.”
According to Miami-Dade County, Fernandez acted as a private provider for NV5, JEM Inspections and Engineering, E&K Engineering and Winmar Construction. The cities and Tavistock say the projects Fernandez were involved in were not structural in nature. Additionally, Tavistock said none of the re-inspections indicate any discrepancies that would cause any buildings to fall.
Should Fernandez fail to comply with any imposed fines, the complaint will be referred to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation for collection. This step ensures that penalties are enforced and that unauthorized practitioners are held accountable.