MIAMI – Miami City Commissioner Joe Carollo is vehemently denying allegations in a newly filed lawsuit accusing him of misusing public funds and retaliating against whistleblowers.
The suit, brought by two former employees of the Bayfront Park Management Trust, alleges Carollo engaged in financial improprieties and retaliated against staff who raised concerns.
The plaintiffs, Jose Suarez and Jose Canto, who previously served as the Trust’s executive director and finance director respectively, claim they were pressured to resign in December after questioning Carollo’s handling of public money.
The lawsuit accuses Carollo of using agency funds to benefit friends and family, including paying a social media company tied to his wife and hosting a $20,000 yacht party for supporters.
Carollo, speaking outside his Little Havana office on Wednesday, dismissed the lawsuit as a politically motivated smear campaign. He suggested the former employees are being manipulated by bar owners involved in a separate legal battle with him.
“This is a blatant lie,” Carollo said, referring to the allegations of financial misconduct. “If there was any misappropriation of funds, why didn’t they go to law enforcement? Because they know it’s not true.”
The lawsuit also alleges Carollo allowed improper use of public property, including enabling a local food truck company to dig trenches in a park to steal electricity.
Carollo refuted the claims, saying they were fabricated by disgruntled former staffers who “underperformed” in their roles.
The Bayfront Park Management Trust, chaired by Carollo, oversees some of Miami’s most prominent public spaces and generates revenue from events like the Ultra Music Festival.
The lawsuit alleges the Trust lacked proper accounting practices under Carollo’s leadership and cites concerns over a mobile veterinary truck purchased by the agency, which was later found to contain controlled substances.
Attorneys for Suarez and Canto argue that Carollo’s actions were part of a broader scheme to misuse public resources for personal and political gain. They also allege threats and intimidation from Carollo and Trust board member Javier BaƱos, described as Carollo’s personal accountant and relative.
The commissioner reiterated his innocence, calling the allegations a distraction from his work for Miami residents. “Sixty-five percent of voters in this district elected me,” he said. “I’m here to serve them, and I will not be deterred by baseless lawsuits.”
Attorneys for Suarez and Canto did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit adds to the growing legal and political scrutiny surrounding Carollo, who has faced multiple controversies during his tenure on the Miami City Commission.
The case will now proceed in federal court.