North Miami Mayor - Haiti Observer Blog

At a local Democratic meeting that took place last Monday night, Miami Herald reported that someone who was present, Gwen Margolis belittled three of her opponents by referring to them as "Haitians" and dismissed two others as "some teacher and some lawyer" . Margolis referred to her Haitian-American competitors such as businessman Anis Blémur, former state Rep. Phillip Brutus and state Rep. Daphne Campbell as "Haitians". She later added: "I have unlimited funds, and I'm going to spend every penny, and I'm not going to lose to those three Haitians or some teacher or lawyer."

State Senator Gwen Margolis who is the longest-serving sitting lawmaker in the Florida Senate is running for Miami-Dade district that runs from Miami Beach to Aventura.

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Here is something for the Haitian diaspora to think about. Former North Miami Mayor Lucie Tondreau was sentenced this Tuesday in Miami to spend five years and five months in federal prison. The 55 year old Haitian-Amercican Lucie Tondreau was convicted of conspiracy and wire fraud charges back in December 2014.

The Former Mayor will likely spend quite a number of years thinking about this. Following her prison time, Tondreau will also be required to serve three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution of which the actual amount has not yet been determined.

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Can a White Man Win in Haitian-Dominated North Miami? Two-time former North Miami mayor (2005 and 2007) Kevin

Burns is doggedly trying to beat out Dr. Smith Joseph in a second runoff race for a third term as the city's mayor. Unfortunately for Burns, he happens to be white, and the black electorate makes up 59% of North Miami (35% Haitian-American) citizens. Last year, 2013, Burns faced black candidate Dr. Smith Joseph and Haitian-American Lucille Tondreau in a mayoral special election. He pushed Joseph out of the race and entered a runoff against Tondreau, who defeated him with 56% of the vote.

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Lucie Tondreau who was suspended as North Miami Mayor was found guilty by a federal jury today (December 16, 2014) of conspiring to commit wire fraud. She is accused of loan conspiracy with partner and fiancé Karl Oreste and others of a total of $11million between 2005 and 2008. According to the details, she allowed bogus loan applications to use their names in exchange for kickbacks

After a two weeks trial, it took the 12 member jury only two hours to find Lucie Tondreau guilty of conspiracy and wire-fraud charges

Lucie Tondreau was elected as the Mayor of North Miami in 2013. She was arrested immediately after the verdict. With this conviction, she is looking at spending up to 30 years in Federal prison.

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The Mayor of North Miami, Marie Lucie Tondreau, is no longer a mayor. She was suspended by the Governor of Florida Rick Scott on Tuesday, May 20, 2014.

On that same day, she appeared in front of a judge as she was accused for working with three others other individuals to commit Mortgage fraud. Ms. Tondreau walked into the FBI office in Miami to surrender. She was granted bail for $50,000. Until her trial that will take place in the future, Lucie Tondreau will have several restrictions. Although she will not have to wear an electronic ankle monitor, she will not be able to stay outside of her home between the hours of 11p.m. to 6 a.m.

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This can't look good for the Haitian community. First female Haitian-American Mayor of North Miami, Marie Lucie Tondreau, was among four people indicted on Mortgage found Monday, May 19, 2014.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida on Monday filed criminal charges for activities from December 2005 to May 2008 well before Marie Lucie Tondreau had become the Mayor of North Miami.

Tondreau along side with Karl Oreste, Okechukwu Josiah Odunna and Kelly Augustin were all charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. If convicted, she is likely to face up to 30 years in prison.

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It was near the end of summer when news of North Miami Police Chief Marc Elias being called into question about various trips he had made to his native Haiti since 2012 using public funds. Elias had said at the time his trips had been official, the last being to act as part of a security detail for North Miami Mayor Lucie Tondreau. While six of his 7 trips over the two-year period have been verified by the necessary documents, warranted compensation from the city, his last trip with the Mayor in August of 2013 did not follow suit. This, consequently, has led to his resignation from the post.

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