MIAMI.- Angélica Pacheco, a Hialeah councilwoman, would have turned herself in to the FBI to allegedly face charges of health care fraud, according to The Miami Herald.
The incident would have occurred on the morning of this Thursday, June 20. If so, it is expected that Pacheco must have his first appearance before federal judge Laure F. Louis in the Miami court during the afternoon of this same day.
A source from the Hialeah Police Department confirmed that the councilor had turned herself in to the feds but said he did not know the exact reason for the fraud accusation. “It is something related to fraud to the health system,” she stated without being certain.
Pacheco, who is a registered nurse, owns a primary care clinic and a drug rehabilitation center called Pacheco Medical Center.
The councilor won her seat in the November 2023 elections, after three attempts. In the last election, she defeated veteran councilor Vivian Casals Muñoz at the polls.
During these months, in the Council she has been very critical of the policies of Mayor Esteban Bovo, she tenaciously opposed the ordinance that regulates recreational vehicles (RV) in the city, she complained about what she considers a violation of her freedom of expression in the Council, advocated for the construction of more affordable housing, dealt with the mass construction of “luxury condominiums” and promoted regulations against recreational marijuana.
The federal charges could be grounds for Pacheco’s removal from his position on the City Council.
Last Wednesday, the councilor published a seven-minute video in which she held the Hialeah Administration responsible for what could happen to her. She claimed to have suffered verbal and legal threats for, in her view, becoming an uncomfortable person for what she calls “special interests acting behind the city’s politicians.”
Upon hearing the news, Mayor Esteban Bovo published the following statement:
“In a very sad chapter for the residents of our city of Hialeah. We can only hope that the federal authorities continue with this investigation that involves Councilwoman Angélica Pacheco.
This is a federal accusation that is not linked to the functions of the city of Hialeah.
Residents know that the Mayor’s Office and my administration have worked hard to raise the image of our city. This situation is highly embarrassing, and very sad for our community, but it will not stop us from our work to improve the quality of life of our residents and provide the best services.”
At the time of publishing this report, Pacheco was waiting to receive the charges.
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