Last November, Hialeah councilwoman Angelica Pacheco was indicted on health care fraud charges. She later surrendered to the FBI and is accused of falsely billing private insurers millions of dollars for services at her addiction treatment center, Florida Life Recovery and Rehabilitation. Over a three-year period, the business allegedly submitted over $19 million in bogus claims.
Pacheco has denied the accusations and claimed that the mayor is behind them. In response to the charges, she released a statement in Spanish asserting her innocence and suggesting that the mayor orchestrated the charges due to her extensive network of contacts. However, Gov. Ron DeSantis has not suspended her from office as he has done with other officials facing charges.
Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo responded to the charges by stating that they are not related to Pacheco’s role in the city and calling it an unfortunate day for residents as they await further investigation by federal authorities. Despite her denials of guilt, it remains to be seen what will happen next in this case involving one of Hialeah’s most prominent politicians.
