Official Misconduct

Former County Commissioner to serve 5-year Prison Sentence for Land Deals

Aug-21-07
 

Former Palm Beach County Commissioner Tony Masilotti turned himself in to authorities August 10, 2007 to begin serving a five-year prison sentence for a public corruption charge. Masilotti was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a number of illegal land deals worth at least $9 million.

Masilotti admitted he crossed the line in inappropriate land deals in his one-page letter of resignation dated October 27/

"Eventually, I will plead guilty," he wrote.

Three days after Masilotti’s resignation, the corruption charge against him was announced.

As part of his plea agreement, the former chairman agreed to forfeit two parcels of real estate worth approximately $9 million and $175,000 in cash. Masilotti assembled a real estate portfolio worth $7 million to $20 million through a series of tainted land deals where Masilotti schemed to use his influence as a county commissioner, prosecutors said. None of those assets had been reported on the commissioner's state-required financial disclosure reports.
 

Masilotti moved to Palm Beach County in the late 1970's. He operated an insurance office in Royal Palm Beach, eventually becoming that city's mayor in 1992.

He won Palm Beach County's District 6 county commission seat in 1998. He resigned from that seat last October, three days before the corruption charge was announced

Though he admitted his guilt in the deals, Masilotti told WPBF-TV reporters that he did not feel bad about them.

"The business deals were legitimate," he said after his court appearance. "I just didn't realize not disclosing them was a big issue."
 

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