{"id":253537,"date":"2026-05-01T05:32:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T05:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/253537\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T05:32:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T05:32:21","slug":"kendall-hoa-president-and-husband-plead-guilty-to-fraud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/253537\/","title":{"rendered":"Kendall HOA president and husband plead guilty to fraud"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle speaks about a $2 million HOA fraud after the former Hammocks Community Association president and her husband admitted to their roles in the fraud on Thursday, April 30, 2026.<\/p>\n

Pedro Portal<\/p>\n

pportal@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n

The former president of one of the largest homeowners associations in Florida \u2014 and her husband \u2014 admitted in court on Thursday afternoon to their roles in fleecing $2 million from residents\u2019 monthly maintenance fees.<\/p>\n

Standing in the jury box in orange jail attire, Marglli Gallego, 44, pleaded guilty to racketeering and grand-theft charges. Gallego\u2019s husband, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, 49, entered a guilty plea to one count of money laundering. Gonzalez, who was wearing a blue, button-up shirt and khaki pants, patted the back of his attorney, Jude Faccidomo.<\/p>\n

\"Poster Marglli Gallego led the Hammocks Community Association. She pleaded guilty to racketeering and grand-theft charges. This photo of her was presented by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle during a press conference on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

As a result of the plea, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson sentenced Gallego to seven years in prison followed by seven years of probation. She will get credit for the more than three years that she spent behind bars awaiting trial.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Cops: Miami-Dade HOA president stole nearly $60,000, hired private eye to spy on enemies<\/a><\/p>\n

The judge sentenced Gonzalez to seven years of probation. He was also ordered to send the HOA a $50,000 check and deed the association a five-acre property that is at 17481 SW 192nd St. in South Miami-Dade and is worth $1.2 million.<\/p>\n

\"Poster Jose Antonio Gonzalez entered a guilty plea to one count of money laundering. This photo of him was presented by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle during a press conference on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

\u201c[Gallego] was able to infiltrate the HOA board, which became her cash cow in the … scheme,\u201d Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said during a news conference after the hearing.<\/p>\n

Surrounded by lead prosecutor Mary Ernst, investigators and state lawmakers, Fernandez Rundle touted how the massive fraud probe led a \u201cferocious and immediate legislative response,\u201d with new laws punishing HOA election fraud, prohibiting commingling of association funds and promoting greater transparency for residents\u2019 access to HOA records. The state attorney also detailed investigators\u2019 efforts during the years-long probe, including getting warrants to track down HOA records that were hidden.<\/p>\n

\"Photo Photo of trap door where records were found. Miami-Dade State Attorney\u2019s Office <\/p>\n

Gallego was a longtime official with the Hammocks Community Association, which oversees 40 communities and over 6,500 units. Prosecutors say Gallego and several other HOA leaders were involved in a complex scheme that included the creation of several \u201cshell companies\u201d \u2014 including one listed under Gonzalez\u2019s name \u2014 that netted more than $1.4 million between 2017 and 2022.<\/p>\n

Don Kearns, the current HOA president, said homeowners knew something was wrong \u2014 and explored ways to fight back against the abuse of unjustified monthly fee hikes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had no idea it was a criminal enterprise taking over our beloved neighborhood,\u201d Kearns said. \u201cThis was a very complex case to solve. This was organized crime setting up shop in West Kendall.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chicky Chicky Ardisson, at podium, VP of the Hammocks Community Association, speaks during a press conference held by Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle in Miami on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com <\/p>\n

Due to the plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed many other charges: Gallego was originally charged with a slew of offenses, including several counts of racketeering, organized scheme to defraud, money laundering and grand theft. Gonzalez was charged with racketeering, money laundering and grand theft.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe accepted responsibility for these charges,\u201d Gallego\u2019s attorney, Sabino Jauregui, told reporters.<\/p>\n

Gallego was also accused of using an HOA credit card for personal purchases, including at supermarkets, bakeries and fast-food restaurants, such as Pollo Tropical, Panera Bread and Little Caesars. She also used HOA resources to go after enemies, police say, ordering the community\u2019s security to \u201charass\u201d rival association members.<\/p>\n

Police began investigating the HOA after residents voiced concerns about a \u201cdecline\u201d in the association\u2019s reserve funds, \u201cexcessive expenditures\u201d and other undocumented spending, court documents say. Gonzalez, a vendor, was accused of fraudulently billing and overbilling the association for services.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Leaders of Florida\u2019s largest homeowners association charged in $2 million fraud scheme<\/a><\/p>\n

Also arrested in the fraud probe were Monica Ghilardi, 56, a former board member; Myriam Rodgers, 80, a former board member; Yoleidis Lopez, 50, a former board member; Kevin Alzate, 34, Gallego\u2019s cousin; Ivan Diez, 59, who was accused of being behind a shell company; and Jesus Cue, 64, the association\u2019s accountant.<\/p>\n

Ghilardi and Rodgers struck plea deals. Ghilardi pleaded guilty to grand theft and perjury and was sentenced to a year in prison followed by 12 years of probation. Rodgers received a withhold of adjudication, meaning no criminal conviction will appear on her record, and was ordered to complete five years of probation.<\/p>\n

The other cases remain open.<\/p>\n

\"Defendants Defendants linked to HOA fraud scheme Miami-Dade State Attorney\u2019s Office <\/p>\n

The Hammocks Community Association consists of more than 18,000 people, in 6,500 homes, townhouses and apartments, on almost 4,000 acres.<\/p>\n

This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:33 PM.<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Grethel Aguila<\/a><\/p>\n

Miami Herald<\/p>\n

Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle speaks about a $2 million HOA fraud after the former Hammocks Community…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":253538,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[123,125,124],"class_list":["post-253537","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-miami","tag-miami","tag-miami-headlines","tag-miami-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253537","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253537"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/253537\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/253538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253537"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=253537"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253537"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}