4 July 11-17, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MEDLEY FOOD TRUMPS FRAUD CHARITY FRAUD CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST SUSPENDED MEDLEY TOWN COUNCIL MEMBER. BY THEO KARANTSALIS O rganized fraud and grand theft charges against suspended Town of Medley council- woman Ana Liliana (Lily) Ste- fano have been dropped in exchange for a supersized food donation. In 2021, Lily Stefano was arrested and charged with stealing food donated to the Santana Moss Foundation, a charity whose mission was to “conduct community pro- grams for disadvantaged youth,” according to the online charity tracker Guidestar. Moss, a Carol City High School graduate and former star receiver in the National Foot- ball League, had founded the charity in the early 2000s. Stefano maintained her innocence from the outset of the case, claiming the charges — one count of organized scheme to defraud over $50,000, a first-degree felony, and one count of grand theft over $20,000, a second- degree felony — were politically motivated. She stood accused of defrauding Feeding South Florida, a local food bank, out of an es- timated $24,000 worth of food items and selling food it had donated to the Moss Foun- dation while she was serving as the founda- tion’s executive director. On June 20, prosecutors quietly dropped the case. “Upon payment and verification by the State of a voluntary donation to Feeding South Florida of $10,000, the State of Florida will nolle prosse the pending charges condi- tioned upon the terms set out below,” reads a Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office (SAO) closeout memo obtained by New Times. Feeding South Florida’s spokeswoman Raquel Simon-Petley tells New Times that a $10,000 donation can feed an estimated 60,000 people in Monroe, Miami-Dade, Bro- ward, and Palm Beach counties. According to the agreement, Stefano must also pay $1,500 to the Miami-Dade Ethics Commission, $1,000 “for costs of prosecu- tion” to the SAO and waive any alleged out- standing debt on loans to the Moss Foundation. Stefano’s attorney, Ben Kuehne, tells New Times the “justice system worked correctly this time.” “She had not done anything wrong, and al- ways proclaimed her innocence. Now, with the dismissal of the case by the State Attor- ney’s Office, her vindication is an absolute fact,” Kuehne says. Under the non-prosecution agreement, Stefano must also “read and familiarize her- self” with the provisions of Florida Statute 496, which deals with “solicitation of funds.” Stefano launched the Santana Moss Foun- dation’s free grocery program in Medley in 2014 and went on to partner with Feeding South Florida as a food distribution charity. The state attorney’s office said in 2021 that its case was based partly on evidence from a Moss Foundation volunteer who reported that Stefano was improperly selling donated food items. Stefano was suspended by Gov. Ron De- Santis in November 2021 shortly after the charges were filed. When the SAO announced the case in 2021, it noted that Moss was previously listed as a treasurer for the organization but “had no part in its operations and was surprised that the foundation still existed as a legal en- tity.” Apart from his celebrated NFL career, Moss holds the record for most receiving yards for the University of Miami Hurricanes. Meanwhile, Stefano may soon be banging her fork. According to Florida law, if municipal offi- cials are acquitted, found not guilty, or other- wise cleared of charges for which they were suspended, they must be reinstated and “paid full back pay and such other emoluments or allowances to which he or she would have been entitled for the full period of time of the suspension.” After the charges were dropped, Stefano signaled she would seek reinstatement to her old Medley council seat, currently held by Karina Pacheco. The position is up for re- election in November. | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS Prosecutors dropped theft and fraud charges against Lily Stefano on June 20, 2024. Photo by Rapid Eye/Getty Images ▼ MIAMI NOTE TO FISH FIVE LESSONS THE MIAMI MARLINS SHOULD LEARN FROM THE FLORIDA PANTHERS’ REBUILD. BY RYAN YOUSEFI T he Florida Panthers are defending Stan- ley Cup champions. Let that sink in. Laundry from the rain-soaked parade barely has had time to dry and we’re already looking forward to watching the Panthers begin to defend their title later this year. The thought of the Panthers hoisting the Cup a few years ago would have seemed far-fetched, but here we are. The remarkable turnaround by South Flori- da’s long-lovable underdog gives us hope that the Miami Marlins noted the lessons the Panthers taught us about roster building and patience. Here are five key takeaways the Marlins can learn from the Panthers’ successful blueprint. Build Trust and Show Progress South Florida fans are willing to be patient if they see genuine progress, but good luck get- ting them to tolerate being misled or manipu- lated. As the old saying goes, you can’t bullshit a bullshitter. Miamians can spot a deceiver a mile away. The Panthers have rebuilt their franchise by making transparent, decisive, strategic moves. They’ve demonstrated a clear vision for the fu- ture. In contrast, after dismantling World Series teams and making empty promises to invest long-term in their roster, the Marlins have earned the reputation of a door-to-door salesman who might be looking to prey on your grandparents. The Marlins must rebuild trust and re-engage a fanbase that has largely moved on. That comes not through a five-year plan or words but through action. The Panthers have shown that even when they fail, it’s more a product of oppo- nents’ fierce competition than the Panthers’ un- willingness to compete. Lock Up Core Players A critical component of the Panthers’ success has been securing long-term commitments from key players — names and faces we know and love and can expect to be around for the fore- seeable future. It makes us want to get out of our wallets and buy jerseys. It makes us want to sit down and eat dinner in front of a television to see their careers play out. The Panthers have provided stability and continuity with stars like Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Anton Lundell, and Gustav Forsling under contract through at least the 2029 season. With a Cup under the team’s belt, fans can fully invest emotionally in the team, knowing their favorite players will be around for the long haul. Trades will always happen. That’s sports. Half of the fans live for the transactions and Sim City aspect of a team more than the results on the ice or field. But living paycheck-to-paycheck on managers — much less players — is a recipe for disengag- ing would-be fans. Quality Over Gimmicks The Panthers have concentrated on building a competi- tive team rather than relying on promotional gimmicks to draw crowds. Sure, seventh-inning- stretch shenanigans might be part of MLB’s tra- dition, but after two decades of disappointing performance, fans want results — read the room. Guinness Book of World Record nights and Bring Your Parrot to the Park events will not suf- fice to fill the stands. Cold beer, chicken tenders, and ice cream in a helmet might help, but good baseball is what will truly spur turnout. Go Big or Go Home The Panthers will make bold moves when the time is right, especially at the trade deadline. By trading for high-caliber players and filling spe- cific needs, they have built one of the deepest rosters in the NHL. The Marlins have not done that since CDs were all the rage, and nobody expects them to quickly improve the roster in a truly meaningful way. Fans are likelier to support a team that makes big, bold moves rather than settling for mediocrity. Bring Us Back The Panthers have successfully tapped into the nostalgia of their 1996 Stanley Cup Final run, cre- ating a sense of history and tradition. That con- nection to the past has strengthened the bond between themselves and the fans. If a hockey team can bring South Floridians back to the good old days, imagine what a base- ball team with rich memories and a champion- ship past can do when it gets it right. Bring back the teal. Bring back old players. Remind people of a time when the Marlins were arguably the best show in town. If the Panthers can do it, the Marlins certainly can. [email protected] THE MARLINS MUST REBUILD TRUST AND RE-ENGAGE A FANBASE THAT HAS LARGELY MOVED ON.
