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A former Hialeah police chief is under criminal investigation. On Monday, Katherine Fernandez Rundle ordered the arrest of Sergio Velazquez, who served as chief of the Hialeah Police Department from 2012 until 2021. Fernandez said Velazquez will be charged with structuring, grand theft, and an organized scheme to defraud after allegedly stealing millions of dollars of department money to buy luxury watches.
Via WSVN 7
“Our investigation revealed that petty cash funds and money seized during criminal investigations were missing,” said FDLE special agent John Vecchio.
“Between 2015 and 2021, investigators said checks totaling $2.8 million were issued to fund special investigations, yet to this day, $2.6 million is still unaccounted for. Furthermore, officials said more than $1 million from 20 court-awarded civil forfeitures also went missing.”
Prosecutors said Velazquez would steal the money and deposit the funds into his personal accounts below reporting standards to avoid being caught by authorities. He would then use the money to buy luxury watches.
“He made purchases of more than $300,000 in Rolex watches, over $11,000 from Cartier, over $6,700 from Louis Vuitton and over $5,000 from Versace,” said Vecchio.
Hialeah Mayor Jacqueline Garcia-Roves released the following statement regarding Velazquez’s arrest.
“The City of Hialeah has been informed of the arrest of the former Hialeah Police Chief, Sergio Velázquez, as a result of an investigation initiated under a previous administration. Undoubtedly, this marks a sad moment for our city. Today, as the mayor of the second safest city in the entire state of Florida, I want to reaffirm our complete confidence in the leadership and integrity of the current Hialeah Police Chief, George Fuente, who continues to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and peace of mind of all our residents. We remain focused on continuing to strengthen our institutions and move forward towards a future based on transparency, accountability, and exemplary public service.”