Miami city attorney faces Florida Bar probe, report says

by Sommer Brugal

Miami City Attorney Victoria Méndez speaks at a commission meeting last year. Photo: Jose A. Iglesias, Miami Herald

Miami City Attorney Victoria Méndez is under investigation for her connection to companies that purchased below-market value homes and sold them for a large profit, according to the Miami Herald.

• The Florida Bar has been investigating since at least April, but the probe has just recently come to light, according to the newspaper, which broke the news yesterday.

Why it matters: The investigation is yet another problem for Méndez, who was removed from her position last month by commissioners but will remain city attorney until June.

• Méndez was hit with a lawsuit last year over allegations that she and her husband enriched themselves by flipping a home owned by a man who claimed he was convinced to sell below market value.

Catch up quick: Last year, a WLRN investigation detailed how Méndez's family profited from the Guardianship Program, which cares for incapacitated people who can't afford a private guardian or who have no one willing to serve in that capacity.

The latest: Local film director Billy Corben filed another complaint Friday, according to the Herald.

• Corben claims Méndez acted unprofessionally and violated Bar rules during a recent commission meeting.

The other side: Méndez has described the WLRN investigation as a "hit piece" and cautioned Herald reporters against writing about the review and "trying to damage" her reputation.

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Miami city attorney faces Florida Bar probe, report says