Watermelon

Is this sculpture worth $150,000 to you and possible time in jail.

Developer Raul Masvidal, one of Miami-Dade's most prominent civic leaders, is slated to be arrested today on felony charges that he siphoned tens of thousands of dollars from the county's Housing Agency to buy himself a sculpture of a giant watermelon slice.

Masvidal will become the second developer in recent months accused of stealing money from the Miami-Dade Housing Agency while thousands of poor families scraped by in decrepit rental apartments, public housing or homeless shelters.

A former banker whose ties to local power brokers span three decades, Masvidal is expected to turn himself in today at the Miami-Dade state attorney's office, where he will be charged with grand theft and organized fraud. If convicted of the first-degree felonies, he could face as many as 30 years in prison.

According to investigators from the Miami-Dade inspector general's office, Masvidal used county money to buy a $150,000 watermelon sculpture titled Mars.

Masvidal -- who once farmed watermelons in Puerto Rico -- allegedly concealed the purchase by submitting a fraudulent invoice through a failed Housing Agency construction project he was managing.

And most public officials are honest?

Developer Raul Masvidal, one of Miami-Dade's most prominent civic leaders, is slated to be arrested today on felony charges that he siphoned tens of thousands of dollars from the county's Housing Agency to buy himself a sculpture of a giant watermelon slice.

Masvidal will become the second developer in recent months accused of stealing money from the Miami-Dade Housing Agency while thousands of poor families scraped by in decrepit rental apartments, public housing or homeless shelters.

A former banker whose ties to local power brokers span three decades, Masvidal is expected to turn himself in today at the Miami-Dade state attorney's office, where he will be charged with grand theft and organized fraud. If convicted of the first-degree felonies, he could face as many as 30 years in prison.

According to investigators from the Miami-Dade inspector general's office, Masvidal used county money to buy a $150,000 watermelon sculpture titled Mars.

Masvidal -- who once farmed watermelons in Puerto Rico -- allegedly concealed the purchase by submitting a fraudulent invoice through a failed Housing Agency construction project he was managing.

Just a hunch but Masvidal may be feeling a financial pinch right now. Housing was and property were booming down here till recently. Now the market is flat or even trending down.

Maybe Mr. Masvidal can put the sculpture up as collateral for bail?

Alex at SOTP is also blogging on this news.
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