Lubby Navarro, ex-Miami-Dade School Board member, pleads not guilty – NBC 6 South Florida

A former Miami-Dade School Board member accused of going on a $100,000 shopping spree with district funds was back in court Friday where she entered a not guilty plea.

Lubby Navarro was formally arraigned on charges of organized fraud and grand theft during the brief Friday morning hearing.

Navarro, who previously represented District 7 and had been the board’s vice chair, had been arrested last month and remains on house arrest.

There had been some concern by prosecutors over where Navarro got the money to pay her bond, but at Friday’s hearing state attorneys said they received the documentation they needed and are satisfied.

Navarro’s attorney, Benedict Kuehne, asked for a jury trial and said he’s confident she’ll be acquitted.

Prosecutors say Navarro made more than $100,000 in unauthorized personal purchases with credit cards issued by the school district before she resigned from the board.

The purchases more than $92,000 spent at retail stores like Walmart, Office Depot, Brandsmart and elsewhere on items including appliances, electronics, clothing, health and beauty products, household goods, home furnishings, food, and gift cards, prosecutors said.

A former Miami-Dade School Board member is facing charges after authorities said she used district-issued credit cards to rack up more than $100,000 in personal purchases that included everything from refrigerators to a trip to Disney World. NBC6’s Jamie Guirola reports

Navarro also spent more than $9,000 on unauthorized purchases related to travel, including airfare, hotels, car rentals, and meals, prosecutors said.

The travel expenses included taking her mother to the Dominican Republic, taking her then-boyfriend to Las Vegas, and paying for his family to go to Disney World, authorities said.

Navarro also purchased items for the Fort Lauderdale market owned by the boyfriend, which included a commercial grade refrigerator, chest freezer, wine chiller, and expresso machine, prosecutors said.

Navarros’ next court hearing is scheduled for April.