Press Release
WELLINGTON LAND DEVELOPER PLEADS GUILTY IN CONNECTION WITH CORRUPT PALM BEACH LAND DEAL
November 28, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jonathan I. Solomon, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office, and Michael E. Yasofsky, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, announced that defendant, Daniel N. Miteff, 56, of Wellington, Florida, pled guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth L. Ryskamp to public corruption conspiracy charges stemming from Anthony R. Masilotti’s unlawful use of his official position as an elected county commissioner to promote and conceal Masilotti’s honest services fraud in connection with a series of land transactions. After trial began on Monday, Miteff entered into a plea agreement with the United States to plead to four separate counts of a Superseding Indictment against him. Miteff pled guilty to an honest services fraud conspiracy, and a money laundering conspiracy, both felonies, and two counts of failing to file federal income tax returns for tax year 2004.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. in West Palm Beach, Florida. Miteff was allowed to remain on bond pending sentencing. He faces five years in jail on the honest services fraud conspiracy, and twenty years in jail on the money laundering conspiracy charges. As part of the government’s proof in the case, Miteff acknowledged that he had conspired to launder criminal profits by paying former County Commissioner Anthony R Masilotti with gaming chips at Atlantis Casino in Nassau, Bahamas. Miteff also faces a year in prison on each of two counts of failing to file federal personal and corporate income tax returns for tax year 2004.
As part of the plea agreement, Miteff agreed to forfeit nearly $100,000 in assets traced to his profits in a land deal with the Diocese of Palm Beach in 2004. Miteff agreed that the government would have proven that Masilotti used his public office to advocate the sale of the land to Miteff's partners, and solicited the Village Manager of Royal Palm Beach to send an official letter to Masilotti as county commissioner outlining the Village's desire for the Diocese to assure it sold the land to a bidder that would provide a public park. Defendant Daniel N. Miteff acknowledged that he knew of these efforts and was aware of, and consented to, Masilotti's use of his official position to lobby on behalf of Miteff's private land deal with the Diocese. Masilotti made these requests without disclosing that he had a financial interest in the transaction and in the Diocese awarding the bid to Daniel N. Miteff, that is, Masilotti expected to be compensated and later was in fact compensated by Miteff for his efforts on Miteff's behalf.
U.S. Attorney Acosta stated, “After hearing the evidence against him, Daniel Miteff today decided to plead guilty to felony charges in this public corruption case. This quick plea is a testament to the caliber, thoroughness and tenacity of the prosecutors handling this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Kastrenakes and Stephen Carlton are to be commended for their skilled advocacy and their hard work, having dedicated many weeks to prepare for this trial.”
Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the IRS and FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Kastrenakes, Stephen Carlton, and Antonia Barnes.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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