State attorney charges 3 in stealing Miami-Dade County grant money

MIAMI, Fla. – 3 people, 1 of them a Wells Fargo Bank branch manager, allegedly manipulated the Miami-Dade County grant-awarding process out of $640,000 utilizing the prestige of a County Commissioner’s Office, according to State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle.

The state attorney is holding a press conference at her office in Miami to announce the filing of criminal charges.

The three used their positions to apply for and receive county grant money using names of legitimate county social services organizations that never knew about the applications.

Rundle emphasized that this was the public’s money that was used.

One of those accused is Evelt Jeudy, who used his position with the Miami-Dade County government to commit fraud. Jeudy served as Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jean Monestime’s district coordinator.

Officers arrested Jeudy, 59, and corrections officers booked him shortly after midnight Friday, records show. Jeudy’s alleged crimes go back to 2016. Monestime, who placed his trust in Jeudy, did not answer questions about the arrest.

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Also, arrested were Mackinley Lauriston, who was Monestime’s former chief of staff, and Nadine Chery, 51. Chery was a branch manager at a Wells Fargo bank, according to the state attorney.

Lauriston ran unsuccessfully for North Miami mayor.

There is no evidence that Commissioner Monestime knew about these actions, Rundle said.

The fraudulent scheme had been going on for the past five to six years, she said.