On September 14, 2023, City Commissioner of Miami, Alejandro ‘Alex’ Díaz de la Portilla, and attorney William W. Riley Jr. were arrested by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) on charges including money laundering, bribery, conspiracy, and illegal compensation for official acts. The FDLE investigation revealed that they received payments exceeding $15,000 for Alex’s brother’s campaign without reporting them as required by Florida Statutes. Riley Jr. is also alleged to have managed a bank account used for money laundering related to political contributions tied to a sports complex project in Miami.

Additionally, it was discovered that Alex oversaw two political committees, one of which received $2.3 million in donations, while the other received over $800,000. On September 15, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended Alex from office, effective immediately, preventing him from performing any official duties or receiving pay. Alex has previously served in the Florida House of Representatives (1994-2000) and the Florida Senate (2000-2010).