Three powerful businessmen—two Americans and a Russian—hunched over a laptop in Miami Beach last month, ostensibly to draw up a plan to end Russia’s long and deadly war with Ukraine.
But the full scope of their project went much further, according to people familiar with the talks. They were privately charting a path to bring Russia’s $2 trillion economy in from the cold—with American businesses first in line to beat European competitors to the dividends.
Social media influencer, Miami native writer Maria de Los Angeles shared this image of herself on Facebook on Nov. 16, 2025, just days before she died of cancer in Spain.
Maria de Los Angeles
Facebook
Long before the word “influencer” came to define some celebrities and attention-seeking college students who often have more followers on social media than common sense, there was Miami’s direct, friendly social conduit Maria de los Angeles Lemus Campino.
She was a journalist, a multimedia storyteller and social media producer, a web content manager and editor — all freelance for publications including the Miami Herald’s former Indulge magazine, Miami New Times, Newsweek and for the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District’s website, for which she interviewed pioneering Miami activist Thelma Gibson on the eve of her 95th birthday in December 2017 for a profile story.
De Los Angeles’ final role: a digital publisher and teacher of heart-centered living based in Cantabria, Spain, she described on her Heart-Centered Maria webpage she’d revised in September.
De Los Angeles brought connection in a pre-divided nation. She did so by tapping into the new resource known as social media as early as 2007, the year she joined Twitter, long before it morphed into X under billionaire Elon Musk’s leadership.
Followers take to social media
Hours and days after learning of de Los Angeles’ death from esophageal cancer in Spain on Nov. 21 just a couple of weeks after turning 58, her local friends and followers expressed gratitude and grief over the news on the pioneering platforms she helped make user-friendly. They expressed shock. Wasn’t she beating the damned disease? Her recent posts seemed so positive.
WARNING: Explicit language in some of these posts in reference to cancer
#FUCKCANCER This isn’t how I wanted to tell you I have #cancer, but here we are! Doing this without fear, but I do need your help to offset some logistical cluster f*cks beyond my control! More details in my #GoFundMe. Mucho amor y gracias! https://t.co/lQ51qnEWf7
She shared an all-caps post to her Facebook page on Nov. 8: “A HARD EARNED BIRTHDAY.” She wrote on the post from Oviedo, Spain, with her usual candor and flair.
A daughter of Cuban refugees, she had left Miami, her native home, to live in her ancestral Spain after the 2024 election. She made no bones about her dislike of the second Trump administration. She made friends, instead.
And plans.
A birthday message of hope
“Four months ago, as I walked out of the doctor’s office with a confirmed cancer diagnosis, my first thought was if I would make it to my next birthday on November 9th.
“All kinds of scenes flashed through my mind. Sad scenes. Scary scenes. But then I noticed some beautiful pink blooms and a gourmet chocolate shop and I thought ‘f*ck it.’
“No, no, not today Satan. I am choosing this NOW over fear.
“I then brought a fancy chocolate bar that I’m saving for a some future milestone news in treatment. And I walked, walked for what seemed like hours along Santander’s gorgeous bay. Suddenly, everything sparkled.
“Getting to this birthday was hard-earned. And it was also a journey filled with gratitude.”
Just before, on Halloween, de Los Angeles celebrated Halloween in costume for an hour or so with members of her “chemo crew” at The Floridita Santander cocktail lounge.
“Make no bones about it, when you celebrate Halloween with your steadfast chemo crew, nothing outside the hospital is too scary,” she quipped.
Gratitude for vicequeenmaria
Sean O’ Hanlon, a Miami-based climate tech expert and former contractor at the U.S. Department of State, celebrated that side of this optimistic communicator on his Facebook post on Monday.
“I had completely forgotten how we met and became friends — via Twitter and Tweetups over 15 years ago. Then I realized just how influential Maria was. Not in the traditional mover & shaker or pop culture ‘influencer’ way but in a much deeper sense because she literally influenced all of us — and we never knew it until now. She was a catalyst for change and we are all better for having had her in our lives,” O’Hanlon posted.
“I firmly believe that Maria was an angel sent to connect us and brighten our lives in ways we couldn’t comprehend back then,” he wrote.
Her followers, in the thousands on Facebook, Instagram and X, a fraction of the millions modern influencers attract, still had a reach and impact, her friends wrote. They credit de Los Angeles, who attended Coral Gables High and graduated with a bachelor’s in English and film and master’s in English from the University of Miami between 1985 and 1995, with sparking interest in social media in South Florida.
When tweetups were a thing — public gatherings among Twitter’s earliest users to put a face to the tweet in the platform’s more civil infancy nearly 20 years ago — and when it seemed possible we could really all come together over the internet, de los Angeles showed us the possibilities.
“We met through Twitter back when the platform was still finding its rhythm; Maria was part of every tweetup, always showing up with her warmth and her creativity. She had a beautiful way of expressing herself; her writing was thoughtful and honest,” wrote her friend Jami Reyes, director of strategic partnerships at Americaribe.
“I will always remember her kindness, her talent, and her generous spirit. The world is a little dimmer without her, but those of us who knew her carry a bit of her light forward,” Reyes said.
De Los Angeles operated on Twitter under the nom de plume @vicequeenmaria, and she had other handles like the more recent @heartcenteredmaria on X and Instagram over the years.
Her final post
Her warm, confident and amusing voice and eye-catching graphics cut through the noise.
In her final post on Nov. 16, she’s an angel spreading her wings. She used the image to detail her realization that the night sweats soaking her sheets in Spain were from chemo and not a recurring trip through menopause again. She had largely ignored those “hot flashes” because eight years ago she was too busy tending to her ailing father as his caretaker. She had since lost both parents. The woman who taught others life lessons learned from them, too.
“For me, menopause was the most liberating event in my life, other than becoming sober. I was, at both times, reborn into an older and more grounded, centered version of myself.
“It’s been 8 years. I honestly feel younger now than I ever did. I carried too much baggage to fly. I had lead weights on my wings.”
Journalists from the Miami Herald attended some of those tweetups to meet other early adopters and to learn how to navigate the fledgling world of social media long before the youth-popularized TikTok and the polarizing rise of AI. The Herald’s then visual journalist, Lori Todd, who promoted the Herald’s first two social media events in the new millennium’s first decade, discovered @vicequeenmaria.
“We met back in 2009, when locals from the Miami social media community began to meetup in person. Maria challenged me to think deeply and reminded us all that life should be heart-felt,” Todd, now a multimedia journalism adjunct instructor at the University at Albany, SUNY, wrote on Facebook.
“I don’t often have regrets,” Todd continued, tagging de Los Angeles as so many did, “but having kept you at an arm’s distance instead of leaning in and getting to know you even more, is a regret that will inform how I live life moving forward. Thank you for that lesson.”
And so the earliest of social media influencers who taught others to harness the power of the post, Reel, TikTok and whatever we call a tweet on X, has inspired an array of posts after her passing. There are poems, photographs and memories, her friend Bob Pursell’s Facebook announcement of a celebration of life in her honor in Percellville, Virginia, on Dec. 6, and hopes for more meetups to honor de Los Angeles.
Miami Herald consumer trends reporter Howard Cohen, a 2017 Media Excellence Awards winner, has covered pop music, theater, health and fitness, obituaries, municipal government, breaking news and general assignment. He started his career in the Features department at the Miami Herald in 1991. Cohen is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Communication. Support my work with a digital subscription
A former investment advisor who lived in a Coconut Grove luxury high-rise condo has pleaded guilty to directing a Ponzi scheme that fleeced $94 million from Venezuelan investors and Catholic dioceses in the South American country over the past two decades.
Andrew H. Jacobus, 64, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and money laundering this month. He now faces 15 years or more in prison at his sentencing in early February in Miami federal court after admitting that he bilked dozens of Venezuelans living in South Florida and abroad, according to his plea agreement and other court records.
Jacobus, who was granted a bond after his arrest in July and now lives in a Fort Lauderdale apartment, must repay the victims of his investment scheme and assist federal investigators in tracking down their stolen funds, but it’s unclear from court records how much the former investment advisor still has available in assets.
Jacobus induced the various Venezuelans — including a nonprofit group that supports the retirement and healthcare of Catholic priests — to invest tens of millions of dollars by promising them high-yield returns on fixed-income funds under his companies’ control, says a factual statement filed with his plea agreement. Jacobus admitted that he used those funds to pay off some investors while stealing from others to enrich himself between 2004 and 2024, the statement says.
Jacobus, who operated two Coral Gables-based businesses, Finser International Corp. and Kronus Financial Corp., promised yearly investment returns of 12% to 15% on certificates of deposit and other fixed-income securities as he secretly swindled investors until some learned of his theft in 2022 and complained to federal authorities, leading to an Internal Revenue Service criminal investigation and grand jury indictment filed in Miami this year.
Fictitious account statements
The factual statement, underscoring Jacobus’ guilty pleas to two counts in the indictment, notes that one Venezuelan investor transferred $1 million to a Kronus bank account in July 2020 “based on the defendant’s false representations that the money would be used for investment purposes.” Instead, Jacobus moved $120,000 from that account to another so that he could pay other investors to perpetuate his international Ponzi scheme.
“To conceal his fraud, Jacobus would create and provide to the victims fictitious account statements or balances purporting to show the investment portfolio and related balances, when in fact the victims’ accounts had significantly smaller balances,” Jacobus admitted in the factual statement signed by him, his defense attorney, Bruce Lehr, and federal prosecutor Robert Moore.
In addition to the indictment, the Securities and Exchange Commission also sued Jacobus and his companies, alleging he committed the same fraud scheme in a civil lawsuit.
The Venezuelan investors — 10 people are listed by their initials and two others as faith-based organizations in the indictment — turned to the United States as a safe haven to protect their money as their country collapsed economically during the administrations of the late President Hugo Chavez and current leader Nicolas Maduro.
At least five lawsuits in Miami-Dade
In recent years, several investors sued Jacobus and his firm, accusing them of fraud and civil theft involving tens of millions of dollars, according to civil court filings. They also notified the SEC, which had sanctioned Jacobus over pocketing exorbitant fees in a cease-and-desist order in 2020 when he and his firm, Finser International Corp., managed about $79 million in investment funds.
Among Jacobus’ investment victims: a wealthy businessman who owns a crane business, a plastic surgeon and a renowned sculptor, all from Venezuela, according to court records.
Jacobus’ investors accused the investment advisor of withholding and misappropriating their funds after they demanded he return their money, according to at least five lawsuits filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.
Miami attorney Michael Padula, who filed three of those suits against the former investment advisor, said Jacobus “preyed on churches and hard-working entrepreneurs and investors and cost people their life savings.”
The first two cases accusing Jacobus of fraud and other civil violations were brought in 2022 by Padula, a former prosecutor at the Justice Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office who had focused on white-collar crime. Padula accused Jacobus of running a “Ponzi scheme” by using newer investors’ money to pay off older ones — an allegation that caught the attention of other Venezuelans who invested millions of dollars with Jacobus.
Padula’s clients, Fermin Suarez, a wealthy Venezuelan crane business owner, and Tubalcain Morales, who lives in Venezuela and Spain, reached respective settlements with Jacobus totaling about $18.5 million and $650,000, according to court records. Jacobus made a few payments to both men, then defaulted, Padula said.
Padula’s third client, Manuel Egea, a plastic surgeon residing in Venezuela, also filed suit in Miami, claiming he invested his “life savings” of about $9.5 million with Jacobus. The surgeon’s money was mostly placed in fixed-income investment funds that regularly yielded substantial monthly returns for years, his lawsuit states. But in 2023, Egea claims in his suit, the payments stopped, despite “several written requests to withdraw portions of [his] investment.”
Egea received a final judgment for his loss against Jacobus’ entities for $30 million, Padula said. But recovering funds from Jacobus or his companies has proven difficult, he said.
‘Jacobus had cleaned out her account’
Court records show other victims: Beatriz Aleman, an investment manager herself, and her husband, James Mathison, a sculptor whose work has been exhibited at shows in Miami, Venezuela and Europe, had an investment relationship with Jacobus dating back to 2012.
In their lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, the couple said they invested about $2 million with Jacobus through the fall of 2022 and Aleman herself referred more than 20 investors to him over the past decade.
The couple’s lawyer, Clarissa Rodriguez, said that before filing suit, she sent a letter to Jacobus demanding that he return the couple’s money — but he refused. The couple pursued legal action against Jacobus after they initially asked him to turn over about $760,000 in savings that he invested with the discount online firm, Interactive Brokers.
According to the couple’s suit, Aleman grew suspicious of Jacobus when she asked him to transfer $200,000 from her Interactive account to her bank in May 2023.
In an email, Aleman gave him instructions on where to wire the money, but Jacobus gave her excuses about transferring it, according to the suit. She then asked for a conference call with Jacobus, and he responded in an email that he was tired of repeating himself “ad nauseum” on the phone about the reasons for the delay. But they had never talked on the phone about the money transfer, leading Aleman to believe Jacobus “gaslighted” her, according to the couple’s suit.
Aleman learned from Interactive that her log-in credentials no longer existed and that the email address on file for her account had been changed to Jacobus’, the suit states. She found out that “Jacobus had cleaned out her account,” leaving Aleman with only $15,000 in savings at Interactive. A representative told Aleman that the monthly statements Jacobus had sent her showing her savings intact were “fake.”
On June 21, 2023, Jacobus admitted that he took her money for his own personal needs.
“I want to begin this note by asking for your forgiveness,” Jacobus emailed Aleman in Spanish, which was translated in the couple’s court filing. “I needed to make an urgent payment and without consulting you first, I boldly borrowed funds in your account at Interactive, with all the intention of returning them to you with a 15% return and without causing you any loss.”
But Aleman and her husband, Mathison, never got back their money, according to their lawyer.
Jay Weaver writes about federal crime at the crossroads of South Florida and Latin America. Since joining the Miami Herald in 1999, he’s covered the federal courts nonstop, from Elian Gonzalez’s custody battle to Alex Rodriguez’s steroid abuse. He was part of the Herald teams that won the 2001 and 2022 Pulitzer Prizes for breaking news on Elian’s seizure by federal agents and the collapse of a Surfside condo building killing 98 people. He and three Herald colleagues were 2019 Pulitzer Prize finalists for explanatory reporting on gold smuggling between South America and Miami.
Haitian kompa music pounded through speakers, the aroma of pâté chicken wafted through the air and dozens gathered Saturday in a sea of blue and red soccer jerseys during what the community hopes is the first of many block parties celebrating Haiti returning to the World Cup for the first time in more than 50 years.
Several community groups, including the Little Haiti Cultural Complex and Sounds of Little Haiti, came together to put on the free event that saw Haitians, Haitian-Americans and soccer fans of all stripes unite in the culturally rich Miami neighborhood.
“It is monumental knowing that our young people are bringing some new, fresh hope to Haiti,” said Madline Noel, founder and chair of the Haitian Mobilization Committee. “It is amazing to be able to celebrate with them, even from a distance, and bringing everyone together.”
Eric Dougé celebrates at the World Cup Block Party at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Little Haiti on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Alexia Fodere for Miami Herald
The block party not only celebrated Haiti qualifying for the first time since 1974, but also the profound impact Haiti’s return to the international soccer stage could mean in terms of the revitalization of the Haitian spirit during hard times on the Caribbean island. Haiti has been plagued by gang violence and economic instability.
“With the history of everything that’s been going on in the last year and a half in Haiti, we are clinging on to this positive news,” said Sandy Dorsainvil, executive producer of Sounds of Little Haiti. “We want this type of joy and elation to last as long as possible. … To get some really good news in the middle of that just feels like a little rainbow in the sky.”
Along Northeast 59th Terrace, in front of the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, a stage was set up that boomed with Haitian music, and food stalls dotted the barricaded road serving fresh cuisine, like griot and pâté lambi, from local restaurants and home kitchens.
Darwens Romulus, 8 years old, kicks the ball during Haitian World Cup Block Party at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Little Haiti on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Alexia Fodere for Miami Herald
The block party saw many children and families who played with soccer balls and nets provided for some leisurely matches. Many partygoers were excited to see that Little Haiti F.C., a youth soccer club that serves around 200 children, was in attendance. The young boys were state champions last year and made it to the finals this year.
The boys who were in attendance, ranging in age from 8 to 13, told the Miami Herald they were ecstatic about Haiti making the World Cup and how many of them dreamed of becoming professional soccer players.
Some adults tested their skill playing soccer with the young boys during the event, guarding nets or kicking the ball around, but none was more successful than City of Miami Police Officer Guerrier.
In full uniform, in between making her patrol rounds at the block party, Guerrier gave the boys a good challenge. She told the Herald she’d been playing soccer all her life, even when she was a child in Haiti.
Nicolas Andre was 6 when Haiti first qualified for the World Cup in the ‘70s. He smiled from ear to ear as he explained how joyous it was to see his country make it there again in his lifetime.
“To see that happening right now, I feel so proud that we have something positive to talk about our country,” said Andre, director of the Haitian Studies Program at Florida International University.
Andre emphasized that the World Cup means more than just a soccer game, but hopefully something that will rally the masses.
“We know soccer is something Haitians hold very dearly, so that means a lot,” he said. “This is something that can unify Haitians so we can solve our problems together. My hope is that Haitians can understand now we can do a lot of things together when we get together.”
Leilani Charles , 1 year old holds the ball during Haitian World Cup Block Party, at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Little Haiti on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Alexia Fodere for Miami Herald
(Center) Makaila Lee, 6 yeras old, kicks the ball during Haitian World Cup Block Party at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Little Haiti on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Alexia Fodere for Miami Herald
Jarvis Derival , 8 years old, plays with a ball during Haitian World Cup Block Party at the Little Haiti Cultural Center in Little Haiti on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Alexia Fodere for Miami Herald
This story was originally published November 22, 2025 at 10:32 PM.
Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office.
New reporting suggests 18-year-old Anna Kepner may have died from asphyxiation caused by a chokehold aboard a Carnival cruise ship as the FBI continues to investigate her death
The death of an 18-year-old Florida high school cheerleader found hidden under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship was reportedly caused by asphyxiation from a chokehold (or an arm across the neck), per a new report by ABC News. The FBI and the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office have not officially confirmed or made a statement. FBI agents discovered two bruises on the side of Anna’s neck, and reportedly, there were no signs of sexual assault and no drugs or alcohol found in her system.
Anna Kepner, a senior at Titusville High School with aspirations to join the military, was discovered wrapped in a blanket beneath a bed covered by life jackets in a cabin she shared with her brothers on the Carnival Horizon. The ship had departed Miami on November 2, 2025, for a six-day Caribbean cruise and returned to port on November 8th.
I broke down the latest updates in the Anna Kepner case below. Her cause and manner of death are still pending as of now. ⬇️ @LAmag
🚨New Disturbing Details Emerge in Death of Florida Teen Found Under Cruise Ship Bed…
The preliminary findings indicate Kepner was possibly strangled in what investigators believe was a violent altercation, the sources said. The exact circumstances remain under active probe by the FBI, which is treating the case as a possible homicide. No charges have been filed as of Thursday.
Kepner had left a family dinner early on November 6th and was captured on surveillance video entering the cabin she shared with her 14-year-old biological brother and 16-year-old stepbrother. Her younger brother returned later that evening, changed clothes, took photos around the ship, and later went to sleep in a bunk bed, unaware that his sister was already deceased and shoved under her bed. Her body was found the next morning by cleaning staff during a search prompted by the family.
Anna Kepner’s cause of death is being reported by @ABC as asphyxiation resulting from a bar hold (an arm across the neck). There have been no comments or confirmation from the FBI or the Miami-Date ME’s office. I requested confirmation from the ME’s office and haven’t heard back… pic.twitter.com/nN2eeNemqZ
The stepbrother, whose identity is protected as a minor, has been identified as a person of interest and is staying with relatives of his biological mother. No arrests have been made of November 21st as this is an ongoing investigation.
U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick was indicted this week by a grand jury in Miami for allegedly stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and laundering them toward her 2021 congressional campaign.
Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Miramar, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, laundered funds from an overpayment from a contract between her family’s health care company and FEMA for COVID-19 vaccination staffing.
According to the indictment, Cherflius-McCormick and other defendants routed the money through several accounts, as well as to friends and relatives, who then donated to her campaign.
“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in the news release. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”
The DOJ says the representative could face up to 53 years in prison if convicted.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Miami office and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Florida Field Office.
She also, and her tax preparer, were charged with conspiring to file a false federal tax return.
Among the defendants is the representative’s brother, Edwin Cherfilus.
In a social media post, Cherfilus-McCormick called it “an unjust, baseless, sham indictment — and I am innocent. The timing alone is curious and clearly meant to distract from far more pressing national issues.”
Cherfilus-McCormick stepped down from leadership on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee Thursday.
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, called the alleged behavior “one of the most egregious abuses of public trust I have ever seen.”
“Stealing $5 million in taxpayer disaster funds from FEMA of all places is beyond indefensible. Millions of Floridians have relied on FEMA after devastating hurricanes, and that money was supposed to help real disaster victims,” Steube wrote on social media.
The new dining room at Rose Cafe & Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach.
Rose Cafe & Restaurant
Owner and philanthropist Alexandra Milton knows that the Rose Cafe & Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach is more than a little off the beaten path. The Mediterranean and Italian-inspired spot is tucked away in Milton Tower, an office building on Collins Avenue just south of 826, and you might never know it was there unless someone told you.
But Milton also believes that her restaurant, which just underwent a big transformation, is worthy of attention.
“Letting people know we’re here has been a challenge,” she admits. “It requires a lot of effort. I know that I have a very good product, a very nice place, and we’re thrilled to give people very nice hospitality. But the situation puts you in a position where you have just to be patient and work very hard with your team.”
A collaboration between Milton and her business partner Sebastian Garaviz, the restaurant began as Rose Cafe, an unpretentious breakfast and lunch spot that focused on nutritious offerings and a small grab-and-go bakery with croissants, homemade pastries and gelato.
Alexandra Milton of Rose Cafe & Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach. Rose Cafe & Restaurant
Milton, who’s married to real estate developer Joseph Milton, wanted to recreate a version of the European cafes she visited on travels with her husband.
“I saw a lot of cafes, beautiful cafes, very romantic with flowers, beautiful desserts and healthy food,” she says. “And I said, ‘You know what, I want to have a place like that.‘ ”
But eventually, Milton had a grander vision for the space. At the end of October, Rose Cafe blossomed into Rose Cafe & Restaurant with more space, dinner service and a full bar serving terrific craft cocktails, aiming to create a full-service dining destination. Designed by Heather Ashton, the cafe that once seated 40 now seats 110 with an outdoor terrace and new dining room.
The menu, which steers clear of refined oils and processed sugar, includes antipasti and salads as well as Mediterranean dips and dishes like slow-steamed octopus on hummus with fried polenta. Pastas include Paccheri pasta with tomato sauce, basil and burrata and tagliatelle Bolognese. One of the most popular dinner items is gnocchetti (small gnocchi) with clams, mussels, shrimp, octopus and cherry tomatoes.
One of the banquettes at the newly renovated Rose Cafe & Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach. Rose Cafe & Restaurant
Diners can also order Dover sole for two, grilled langostinos or braised lamb shank with polenta.
The most curious item on the menu is a tasty chicken curry, which at first glance seems an anomaly on the Mediterranean menu. But Milton explains that the dish, which she created, is one of the most popular items from the restaurant’s days as a lunch spot. It contains no dairy products and instead uses coconut milk for its creamy consistency.
“People always ask, ‘You have chicken curry?’ ” she says. “That’s a normal question. But the reality is when we opened, we were creating our own recipes without a chef. So that was on the menu, and you cannot take it away from our best customers. People really love it.”
She can’t get rid of the guacamole, either, another lunchtime favorite: “I call it Mediterranean guacamole now,” she jokes.
The interior of Rose Cafe & Restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach. Rose Cafe & Restaurant
Milton has found ways to incorporate her philanthropy into the restaurant as well. Her involvement with the Agape Foundation, a rehabilitation program for women survivors of abuse and substance dependency led her to the Seeds of Faith initiative, which teaches women to cultivate gardens. Some of the products find their way to Rose Cafe & Restaurant’s kitchen: parsley, oregano, cilantro and other herbs among them. She’s also inviting a group of women from the foundation to the restaurant for dinner this week.
Philanthropy, she believes, has helped her be a better person — and a better restaurateur.
“People say that when you love your job, you don’t feel that you’re working. And I feel the same,” she says. “Having a restaurant, it comes with a lot of challenges. So we try to do our best every day. I think that being a philanthropist has helped me to embrace every situation. I’ve been learning to be grateful. I’ve been learning to be patient, and those things you can see in my restaurant.
“I embrace my customers in the same way that I embrace people in the foundations. And it’s nice because I also can share everything that I do here with the people that I am helping. You take the tools that you have in your bag, and you use them for the benefit of other people.”
The former home of New World Medical & Mystic Cosmetic Surgery Center, 2020 SW First St., Miami, which is still owned by an LLC run by Maria Gonzalez and Yaritzza Gonzalez, both Mystic officers, and Jadhiel Reyes.
DAVID J. NEAL
dneal@miamiherald.com
A Miami plastic surgery center whose owner is accused of helping with at least one liposuction by one of the unlicensed doctors who performed surgeries there has surrendered its office surgery license.
Before the final order on its license relinquishment posted last week, Little Havana’s New World Medical & Mystic Cosmetic Surgery Center, 2020 SW First St., had been on suspension since May. An emergency suspension order from Florida Surgeon General Joseph Lapado said Mystic owner Maria Gonzalez helped with an Oct. 12 liposuction by Wilson Muñoz Suarez.
Muñoz doesn’t hold a medical license in the United States. Nor does fellow Doral resident Manuel Lazzaro. Both were arrested in April after what the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors say were unlicensed surgeries at Mystic that left patients injured. An arrest report says one woman suffered “permanent disfigurement.”
Muñoz, 60, now faces three counts of practicing medicine without a license and one count of resisting arrest without violence. Lazzaro, 58, has been charged with two counts of unlicensed practice of a healthcare profession with injury and one count of practicing medicine without a license. Each will enter a plea when they formally face the charges in court in December.
The emergency suspension order also said Gonzalez tried to reopen New World/Mystic in a new location on Coral Way not yet inspected and approved by the Florida Department of Health.
Gonzalez didn’t respond to a message from the Miami Herald seeking comment.
After the emergency suspension order, the Florida Department of Health filed an administrative complaint in June against Mystic Cosmetic Center Inc. That started the disciplinary process that, with the license already suspended, could have led to full license revocation.
A condition of the voluntary relinquishment of license is that Mystic Cosmetic Center Inc., the licensed entity, agrees to never apply for an office surgery registration license again.
The relinquishment paperwork doesn’t name individuals, only the “Respondent” — Mystic Cosmetic Center Inc. The building at 2020 SW First St. remains under renovation.
County records say it’s still owned by “2020 SW 1st LLC,” for which the officers are Jadhiel Reyes, Yaritzza Gonzalez and Maria Gonzalez.
This story was originally published November 19, 2025 at 12:16 PM.
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Kai Trump shot a 13-over 83 on Thursday in her LPGA Tour debut in The Annika, leaving President Donald Trump’s granddaughter last in the 108-player field.
In breezy afternoon conditions at Pelican Golf Club, the high school senior bogeyed the first four holes and finished the birdie-less round with nine bogeys and two double bogeys.
“I was definitely more nervous than I expected, but I thought I hit a lot of great shots out there,” she said. “I hit a lot of good shots just to the wrong spots.”
“It was pretty cool because I know I hit it far, but kind of playing with the best players in the world and being literally right there or even outdriving on some of the holes, it felt pretty good,” said Trump, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. “Felt like my game is in a good spot, and especially only being a senior in high school.”
Judge Bronwyn Miller of the Third District Court of Appeal
Courtesy Third District Court of Appeal
A Miami judge is asking to dismiss the formal disciplinary charges a state oversight panel brought against her after reviewing her text messages with Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, arguing she did not attempt to “corrupt the process” but sought to “secure justice.”
Last month, the panel found probable cause to file formal charges against Judge Bronwyn Miller, a former prosecutor and current judge on Miami’s Third District Court of Appeal. The panel cited concerns over Miller’s texts with Fernandez Rundle, her former boss, and questioned Miller’s impartiality as a judge, saying the texts “appear to be coercive.”
In 69-page motion to dismiss filed on Wednesday, Miller’s attorney Warren Lindsey said Miller shouldn’t be disciplined because her texts with Fernandez Rundle were speech protected by the First Amendment. The texts, the attorney said, were also “unrelated to any matter that was pending before or ever likely to come before Judge Miller, bore no nexus to her official duties, and all involved an issue of great public concern.”
Lindsey argued in the filing that the issues raised in the texts were “of grave public importance,” and seeking to discipline Judge Miller for them is “inconsistent with fundamental constitutional considerations“ and “raises the spectre of the Orwellian state.”
The oversight panel’s investigation focused on Miller’s hundreds of text messages to Fernandez Rundle while Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Andrea Ricker Wolfson was presiding over hearings last year for the resentencing of Corey Smith. The reputed leader of Miami’s John Doe gang, Smith had been sentenced to death for murdering four people in Liberty City in the 1990s.
ID Photo Corey Smith Florida Department of Corrections
Prosecutors ultimately dropped the death penalty, and Smith was resentenced to 30 years in a plea deal in February after Wolfson removed two prosecutors from the case, citing misconduct. Smith’s defense attorneys accused prosecutors of coaching witnesses’ testimonies and speaking to a convicted murdered in a recorded jail call about a difficult witness.
Miller, who years earlier had been the prosecutor in Fernandez Rundle’s office that secured Smith’s convictions and death sentence, indicated in the text messages to Fernandez Rundle she was trying to protect her reputation, which she felt was tarnished during the proceedings.
The Miami Herald obtained Miller’s text messages with Fernandez Rundle and published them in an online article on Nov. 10, 2024. Three days later, on Nov. 13, Miller reported herself to the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission, which investigates allegations of judicial misconduct.
The commission found probable cause that Miller had misstepped. “Your communications cast reasonable doubt on your capacity to act impartially as a judge, undermine your appearance of integrity and impartiality, demean the judicial office, interfere with your proper performance of judicial duties, may lead to your frequent disqualification, and appear to be coercive,” the commission said in its filing.
The state Supreme Court will ultimately decide whether Miller will be sanctioned. If the charges are upheld, she could face penalties ranging from a reprimand to being removed from the bench.
“Judge Miller did not attempt to overturn or overthrow justice or pervert or corrupt the process by undermining morals, allegiance, or faith. The opposite is true,” her attorney wrote in her response. “Her actions were moral, and she sought to ensure justice was served by fully cooperating in the proceedings. She was committed to exposing the false testimony and fabricated events asserted by Smith in furtherance of his motion.”
Lindsey didn’t respond to the Herald’s request for comment as of Friday afternoon.
In the filing, Lindsey said Miller sent the messages from her personal cellphone, intended the texts to be private and believed they were legally protected from being made public.
“Judge Miller privately communicated with the State Attorney in her role as the former prosecutor, a current witness, a threat victim, and a concerned constituent,” the document says. “Her unique knowledge was essential to preserving the integrity of the convictions…”
Convicted murderer and gang leader Corey Smith, center, thanks his attorney Craig Whisenhunt after he pleaded guilty to second degree murder on several charges in Courtroom 4-1 at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, as the State dropped the former first degree murder charges. Left to Right: Whisenhunt, Allison Miller, and Smith. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com
Miller, according to the filing, was “constitutionally authorized” to communicate with Fernandez Rundle about the case. She was also concerned about the danger posed by Smith’s potential release.
“Her recollection was pivotal in dismantling the fabricated allegations of past prosecutorial misconduct, and, as the JQC is aware, her cooperation resurrected her historic safety fears,” the document says. “Smith was unrestrained and seated mere feet away from her in the courtroom when she testified. Smith had demonstrated on more than one occasion that he was capable of eliminating adverse witnesses.”
Addressed panel’s allegations
In her response to the allegations, Miller denied attempting to influence Fernandez Rundle — and initiating the exchanges with the State Attorney. She said the commission “fail[ed] to account” for communications Rundle Fernandez initiated on the phone and in person.
In her motion to dismiss, Miller said she didn’t disparage Wolfson. Rather, she expressed concern that Wolfson “prematurely developed an opinion on the merits” of the Smith case.
Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Andrea Wolfson is expected to rule on convicted killer Corey Smith’s claim that Miami-Dade prosecutors are too compromised to take part in his re-sentencing, by the end of the month. Jose A. Iglesias jiglesias@elnuevoherald.com
Miller also said she didn’t denigrate defense attorneys but merely pointed out that prosecutors are held to a heightened ethical standard. In one of the texts, Miller took aim at Michael Von Zamft — one of the prosecutors Wolfson ousted from the Smith case. Miller pointed out that Von Zamft is a former defense attorney.
“They play by different rules,” Miller wrote. “No defense attorney should be training [assistant state attorneys]. It should be someone who knows that prosecutors are held to higher ethics.”
Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.
BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Kai Trump is ready to live out her childhood dream in the spotlight.
The granddaughter of President Donald Trump will be making her LPGA debut this week in The Annika at Pelican Golf Club.
The 18-year-old high school senior already sounds like a pro. She handled a 12-minute news conference Tuesday with poise and maturity.
“I think I’m going to learn a lot no matter what happens,” Kai Trump said. “I’m just going to go out there and have fun and see which way it goes. I’m going to take a lot away from it. Obviously, competing with the best players is going to be cool. To be inside the ropes with them, playing with them, learning what kind of shots they hit, what do they do on the course. So, yeah, just looking forward to it and playing with the best.”
Trump began playing golf at age 2 and has committed to going to the University of Miami. She received one of the three sponsor exemptions for the tournament that are usually given to players who can help promote women’s golf. Trump has more than 9 million followers on social media. WNBA star Caitlin Clark is also playing in the tournament in the pro-am.
“So the idea of the exemption, when you go into the history of exemptions, is to bring attention to an event,” said Dan Doyle Jr., owner of Pelican Golf Club. “She’s lovely to speak to and she brought a lot of viewers through Instagram and things like that that normally don’t watch women’s golf was the hopes, and we’re seeing it now on Instagram and social media. So it’s created a buzz on top of the other great players that we have here.”
Trump played half the course with legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam, the tournament host, on Monday. Sorenstam mentioned how she received a controversial invitation to play on the PGA Tour in 2003 and that turned casual spectators into experts with strong opinions.
“Kai brings a lot of different people to the sport and we want people to hear about our tournament and be part of it,” Sorenstam said. “The word is spreading and I think that’s a good thing. Keep in mind, The ANNIKA Foundation is a beneficiary here, and we’re all about providing and empowering our women. It really fits in our mission as well. We’re really looking forward to the week.”
Trump asked Sorenstam for a few tips while they were on the course together.
“It was amazing,” Trump said. “I asked her a few questions about her swing and what I should maybe do differently. I just asked her questions around the greens, too, because around these greens it’s tough and you can hit different shots into them and what her opinion would be on some of those shots. It was really cool meeting her. She’s a legend, so nice to play nine holes with her.”
No, Kai’s grandpa isn’t coming to watch her play this weekend.
“He’s running the world right now, so a little busy,” Trump said. “To me, he’s just a normal grandpa. Always has been.”
Yes, she’s plays with President Trump but wouldn’t reveal who wins.
“He’s pretty good. We have some tight matches. Yeah, can’t say much,” she said. “We play a lot. We have a great time out there. We’re always on the same team as well.”
Grandpa’s advice?
“Go out there and have fun. Just don’t get nervous,” she said.
Tiger Woods also gave Trump advice.
“I mean, he is the best golfer in the entire world. I would say that. And even better person,” she said. “He told me to go out there and have fun and just go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens.”
Trump’s best finish was runner-up on a Hurricane Junior Tour event. She finished last (by 22 shots) at 52-over par at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. Currently. Trump is ranked No. 461 by the American Junior Golf Association.
“I think what I love most about golf is that it’s challenging. You’re never going to be 100% and there is always something to work on,” Trump said. “I think that’s kind of keeps on bringing me back to play golf and practice golf.”
Kai Trump rose to prominence with her speech during last year’s Republican National Convention where she talked about having a “normal grandpa” who would give her soda and candy when her parents weren’t watching.
She’s the eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr.
___
AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson contributed to this report.
Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown was extradited from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to face trial for an attempted murder stemming from shooting in May, Miami police say.
Miami-Dade Jail
Former NFL star Antonio Brown on Tuesday returned to Miami, as he now sits behind the bars of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, after spending months on the lam in the Middle East to evade an attempted murder case in May.
Brown was extradited to Miami from Essex County, New Jersey, where law enforcement took him Thursday after apprehending him in Dubai.
Mark Eiglarsh, his attorney, told the Miami Herald that he filed a written plea of not guilty to the attempted murder charge. Brown is set to appear in Miami court for a bail hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
“The actions he was forced to take were solely in self-defense against the alleged victim’s violent behavior. Brown was attacked that night and acted within his legal right to protect himself,” Eiglarsh said in a press release.
Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown was extradited from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to face trial for an attempted murder stemming from shooting in May, Miami police say. Essex County Department of Corrections
On May 16, Brown got into a dispute at a boxing event hosted by influencer Adin Ross. The former All-Pro wide receiver said on X he was jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me.” Video posted to social media showed Brown appearing to hold a gun and running out of frame. Seconds later, gunshots were heard.
Brown allegedly punched Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, a 41-year-old, during the scuffle before the shooting. An off-duty lieutenant with the Florida Highway Patrol broke up the fight.
Brown, the warrant says, was detained and searched. No firearm was found on him, although police found two spent shell casings and a damaged right-handed holster outside the venue. He was released because the man shot, later identified as Nantambu, was no longer at the venue.
When the warrant was issued for the Miami native’s arrest in June, he had an attorney who secured him a $10,000 bond, including house arrest. But as months went by, Brown never turned himself in — and police would not divulge whether they planned on extraditing him.
Miami Herald staff writer Grethel Aguila contributed to this report.
Miami Herald Cops and Breaking News Reporter Devoun Cetoute covers a plethora of Florida topics, from breaking news to crime patterns. He was on the breaking news team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2022. He’s a graduate of the University of Florida, born and raised in Miami-Dade. Theme parks, movies and cars are on his mind in and out of the office. Support my work with a digital subscription
Former NFL star Antonio Brown was returning Tuesday to Miami to face an attempted murder charge stemming from a May shooting, with his lawyer filing a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Jail records in Essex County, New Jersey, show Brown was released late Tuesday morning for the transfer to Florida. The former All-Pro wide receiver had waived extradition to Florida from New Jersey, where he was brought following his arrest in Dubai.
This photo provided by the Essex County Department of Corrections shows former NFL player Antonio Brown on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.
Essex County Department of Corrections via AP
Brown’s lawyer, Mark Eiglarsh, said in an email that he has already filed a written not guilty plea to the attempted murder charge. Brown could be in a Miami courtroom as early as Wednesday morning for a bond hearing, Eiglarsh said.
According to an arrest warrant, Brown is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer after a celebrity boxing match on May 16 and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. The victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators that one of the bullets grazed his neck.
Eiglarsh said Brown was simply protecting himself from a person he had problems with before.
“The actions he was forced to take were solely in self-defense against the alleged victim’s violent behavior. Brown was attacked that night and acted within his legal right to protect himself,” Eiglarsh said.
Brown was not immediately arrested that night because initially police did not identify Nantambu as a victim. It wasn’t until May 21 that Nantambu gave a full statement about the incident to police and identified Brown as the shooter, the affidavit states.
Based on his social media posts, Brown had been living in Dubai for several months. In a social media post after the altercation, Brown said he was defending himself because he was “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me.”
A second-degree attempted murder charge in Florida carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine in the event of a conviction.
Brown, who spent 12 years in the NFL, was an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in 2021 for Tampa Bay but spent most of his career with Pittsburgh. For his career, Brown had 928 receptions for more than 12,000 yards and scored 88 total touchdowns counting returns and one pass. He was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
Brown has dealt with several legal problems over the years. He previously had been accused of battery of a moving truck driver, several domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents.
During a 2021 game with Tampa Bay against the New York Jets, Brown took off his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves and ran off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers and effectively ending his football career.
A Miami, Florida, woman excitedly pops a balloon at the gender reveal of her unborn baby in front of her loved ones. However, she quickly discovers that her mom pranked her on her special day.
In a video with over 4.3 million views, TikToker Koko (@embracingembryo) pokes a small balloon on a table, surrounded by friends and family. The balloon pops, revealing a blue background, indicating that her baby is a boy.
She jumps for joy and can’t contain her excitement. To double-check the results, she reaches for a paper across the table. Then she realizes there’s a mistake.
Did her mom purposely sabotage the gender reveal?
She can barely rip the envelope open as her hands shake with excitement. She kneels to the ground and tears open the paper.
She sees a paper with the words, “It’s a girl.” Koko yells, “Mama,” in a disappointed tone and throws the paper to the ground. Unable to contain her disappointment after her initial reaction, she walks away from her party.
On-screen text reads, “You think you can hurt me? My mom purposely put the wrong gender at my own reveal.” The caption continues, “All I wanted was a beautiful moment. I didn’t expect it to end in tears.”
Like many major life events, such as baby showers, bachelorette parties, and weddings, gender reveal parties can bring out the worst in attendees and hosts alike. The Mary Sue previously reported that another Florida woman’s mom revealed her child’s gender at her reveal party, drawing attention away from the mom-to-be.
How did viewers react to the reveal?
In the comments, some viewers questioned whether Koko was more disappointed with the actual gender of her unborn child or the prank.
“The hate girls receive before they’re even born is crazy,” one writes.
“I thought we all just want a healthy baby,” another says.
Gender disappointment is relatively common. Neuropsychiatrist Dr. Louann Brizendine tells TODAY that around 1 in 5 pregnant women experience some degree of disappointment after finding out the gender of their baby.
However, others come to Koko’s defense, saying her mom was out of line for ruining the gender reveal.
“A gender reveal is NOTTT the time for playing, jokes whatever. Everrr,” a commenter says.
“She wasn’t upset it was a girl she’s upset her mom literally ruined her gender reveal,” another writes.
“I could understand being upset, not because the gender was different, but bc the moment was stolen. She wanted her initial reaction to be THE reaction. You can’t redo it,” a third adds.
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Fire destroyed Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra’s home early Thursday, with officials saying more than 20 units were dispatched in what became a frantic, futile effort to save the property.
Nobody was in the home when the fire broke out, and no injuries were reported. Spoelstra plans to coach Miami’s next game, a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, the team said.
“We are grateful to learn that nobody was harmed in the fire at coach Spoelstra’s residence this morning,” the Heat said in a release. “Our thoughts, prayers and assistance are with Spo and his family during this time.”
An investigation into what caused the fire was underway, officials said. Those probes can take weeks in some cases.
Spoelstra was on an airplane when the fire started, flying home with the Heat from a Wednesday night game in Denver. The fire was called in around 4:36 a.m., county records showed, and the Heat charter landed in Miami about 35 minutes later.
Multiple fire trucks and other vehicles were at the fully involved scene when Spoelstra arrived at the property. Television cameras captured Spoelstra walking around the perimeter of the property in the pre-dawn hours, sometimes stopping and holding his head in apparent disbelief as flames continued shooting into the darkened air.
Drone footage captured after the blaze was extinguished showed that much of the home was reduced to charred rubble.
Smoke was still seen rising over parts of the property more than three hours after the first fire trucks arrived, but officials declared the blaze contained around 8 a.m. Some crews remained on the scene, monitoring hotspots, until early Thursday afternoon.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue battalion chief Victoria Byrd said the fire — with flames “as tall as the trees,” she said — was fought with crews both on the ground and in the air. The fire was contained to the property owned by Spoelstra and no nearby homes were damaged, Byrd said, adding that a privacy fence and tree cover impeded the initial firefighting efforts.
“Our units came in and did an excellent job,” Byrd said.
Property records show Spoelstra bought the five-bedroom home in December 2023. He had done extensive work to the property following the purchase.
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, takes the stage Thursday at the America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Pedro Portal
pportal@miamiherald.com
One of the richest men in the world and an alum of Miami Palmetto Senior High, Jeff Bezos closed the 2025 America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center expressing nostalgia for his childhood, showing appreciation for his South Florida roots and giving business advice to thousands of well-heeled spectators.
After Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who was interviewing Bezos, reminded the crowd that the Amazon and Blue Origin founder attended high school in Miami-Dade County, Bezos let out a “Go, Panthers, Go” to loud cheers, followed by the entrepreneur’s trademark deep, loud laugh.
The Palmetto High valedictorian and Miami Herald Silver Knight winner in 1982 also reminisced about an early job he had in South Florida that he said helped him greatly: He worked at a McDonald’s. He flipped burgers, mopped the floors and cleaned the bathrooms.
“I learned a lot,” Bezos said, and he even recently took his wife, Lauren, there.
“That was a great job.”
His mother was still living in Coral Gables until nearly two months ago. Jackie Gise Bezos, a philanthropist, died in her home on Aug. 14 at 78.
Gise raised Jeff as a single mom, meeting Cuban immigrant Miguel Bezos, now 79, while she was going to night school and working during the day at a bank. They were married in 1968, with Miguel Bezos adopting her young son, and had two more kids, Christina and Mark.
Appearances at the America Business Forum
Jeff Bezos after receiving a key to the city of Miami rom Mayor Francis Suarez and Ignacio Gonzalez, right, at the America Business Forum on Thursday. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
The America Business Forum, held Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, was an eclectic business meeting that drew business leaders, celebrities, sports stars and political leaders.
The conference dates back to 2016 and is usually held in Uruguay. The original purpose was to build a sort of leadership platform, bringing together people in business, politics, sport and culture, founder Ignacio Gonzalez said in an interview with the Miami Herald in October.
Mayor Suarez, who attended last year’s edition in Uruguay, played a key role in bringing the event to Miami and the U.S for the first time. He also persuaded many of the big-name speakers to participate, including President Donald Trump. Other speakers included financial titans Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel, and Jamie Dimon, the JPMorganChase boss.
Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali also spoke on stage.
As expected, two of the biggest draws who received the loudest applause were South Americans: Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado, who just won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for years of fighting to restore democracy to her country, and Lionel Messi. Another popular speaker was Javier Milei, President of Argentina, who spoke on Thursday.
But hometown boy Bezos, who has a residence in South Florida, drew as loud applause on several occasions, first talking about the city.
A suggestion for Miami
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez interviews Jeff Bezos during the final day of the America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
“I love the Latin part of the culture here,” he said. “As soon as I land, I feel the energy.”
He also observed that “Miami has completely transformed over the last four years” — and for the better.
Yet it was a comment on AI that brought the house down.
Suarez asked Bezos for his view on the technology, and Bezos replied he was bullish. “The fundamentals of what are happening are very powerful and it will impact every industry.”
Bezos then waded into local issues, questioning the length of time it takes to get a permit for a new house or a new building.
“Miami should have an AI app to give you a yes or no in 10 seconds,” he said, as attendees erupted in cheers and supportive yells. It came close to the reaction soccer god Messi received the day before.
“Why does it take months and months and months to get a building permit?” asked Bezos.
Again, massive applause and cheers broke out. The audience stood.
A business plan from Bezos
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, left, and Jeff Bezos on stage. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
Outside downtown Miami’s Kaseya Center, on the steps, people congregated.
“Out of all the big speakers, Bezos was the only one who actually gave you a viable sketch of a business plan that you can take home and build anytime,” said Julio Cassels, a 50-year-old Miami-based business development specialist. “Everybody else talked in generalities.”
Others were pleased for different reasons.
Santiago Rodriguez-Villamil, who is 58 and has lived in Miami for 20 years, beamed with pride.
The tech professional was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and to see a compatriot organize such an event with all the big-name speakers affected him.
“It was wild,” Rodriguez-Villamil said. “I’m very proud of Uruguay.”
Still, it may have been Bezos who had the most hometown pride, including when he discussed space exploration.
“We’re eventually going to have to move all of our heavy industry off of Earth,” he said.
He noted that he didn’t know how long that would take, and it’s something multiple generations will work on. “But it will happen.”
That Bezos up on stage bore a strong resemblance to the one who attended high school in Miami.
“This little kid who was here in high school 40 plus years ago was dreaming at that time of building a space company that would one day take heavy polluting industry off Earth,” Bezos said.
“And this guy sitting here on stage with you is still dreaming the same dream 40 years later.”
Toward the end of the discussion, Bezos was asked what kind of legacy he would like to leave, The Washington Post owner replied he’d like to see a news headline that says: “World’s oldest man is still inventing ”
Again, big applause.
“It’s good to be home,” said Bezos.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 10:27 PM.
Miami-Dade authorities have issued an arrest warrant for ex-NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, charging him with attempted murder with a firearm following a May altercation outside a celebrity boxing event
Former NFL standout Antonio Brown, 36, is now the subject of a Miami-Dade County arrest warrant on a charge of attempted murder with a firearm stemming from a shooting May 16, outside a celebrity boxing event. According to the warrant, Brown allegedly seized a handgun from a security staffer and fired two shots at a man identified as Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, after allegedly punching him. One of the bullets is reported to have grazed Nantambu’s neck. Surveillance and cellphone video obtained by investigators show Brown advancing toward Nantambu, holding a weapon, and discharging it while standing just several feet away. Brown was extradited from Dubai back to the United States on Thursday, November 6th. Brown has been vocal about the incident on social media.
#News – Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown was arrested following an altercation that led to gunshots—allegedly fired by Brown—outside Adin Ross’s boxing event last night. He was released shortly after and appeared on Adin Ross’s stream😳| #ONLYinDADEpic.twitter.com/CdDNjdE6vD
The warrant sets Brown’s bond at $10,000 and mandates house arrest upon arrest. Currently, he is listed as “wanted” by authorities.
Brown was temporarily detained by police at the scene of the May incident after officers were alerted to gunfire near the Boxing event hosted by streamer Adin Ross. Although no one was arrested at that time and no weapon was recovered, two shell casings and an empty holster were found. In a social-media post following the event, Brown reportedly claimed he had been “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me,” and said he was released after providing his statement to police. He added, “I WENT HOME THAT NIGHT AND WAS NOT ARRESTED.”
Credit: Miami-Dade County Circuit Court
Brown took to his X account in June and stated, “That guy (referring to the alleged victim) is a fraud, liar, stalker & criminal He was arrested in 2022 for stealing 6 figures of jewelry from me He then showed up at my show at rolling loud in 2023 trying to assault me Then in May he snuck into a gate at the event and came right up to me trying to steal from me and threaten my life Media hasn’t told this story yet… instead painting a false picture of me That night I was fighting for my life with his intentions.”
That guy is a fraud, liar, stalker & criminal
He was arrested in 2022 for stealing 6 figures of jewelry from me
He then showed up at my show at rolling loud in 2023 trying to assault me
Then in May he snuck into a gate at the event and came right up to me trying to steal from… https://t.co/x6i3PkP50b
Second-degree attempted murder with a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine under Florida law. Brown’s involvement in this incident adds to a long list of legal controversies following his NFL career. Brown, once a seven-time Pro Bowl receiver who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has faced lawsuits for domestic violence, unpaid child support and other off-field issues.
The Miami-Dade police department declined to comment on the investigation.
MIAMI (AP) — FIFA has announced the creation of a peace prize, which it plans to award for the first time at the draw for the World Cup on Dec. 5 in Washington.
The award, called the FIFA Peace Prize, will “recognize exceptional actions for peace,” soccer’s governing body said Wednesday. But FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has a close relationship with President Donald Trump, would not tip his hand Wednesday when asked if Trump will be the first recipient of the award.
“On the 5th of December, you will see,” Infantino said. He was speaking at the America Business Forum in Miami, shortly after Trump addressed the same event.
Infantino said earlier Wednesday that, “in an increasingly unsettled and divided world, it’s fundamental to recognize the outstanding contribution of those who work hard to end conflicts and bring people together in a spirit of peace.” FIFA said the award, which Infantino will present this year, will be bestowed annually “on behalf of fans from all around the world.”
Trump was passed over for the Nobel Peace Prize last month despite lobbying from fellow Republicans, various world leaders and himself. And Infantino made no secret of the ties between himself, FIFA and Trump in his remarks Wednesday.
“I’m really lucky. I have a great relationship with President Trump, who I consider really a close friend,” Infantino said. “Of course, he’s been very, very helpful in everything we do for the World Cup. … He has such an incredible energy and this is something that I really admire. He does things. He does what he says. He says what he thinks. He says, actually, what many people think as well, but maybe don’t dare to say. And that’s why he’s so successful.”
FIFA recently added another link to Trump by appointing his daughter Ivanka to the board of a $100 million education project part-funded by 2026 World Cup ticket sales.
The World Cup draw, and the awarding of the peace prize, is expected to draw about 1 billion viewers worldwide, Infantino said.
MIAMI (AP) — His presence had remained a mystery, but Bad Bunny was there in person Thursday night to receive all the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards that were given to him, including the special Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award.
Puerto Rican star Rita Moreno presented him with the accolade, and flirtatiously noted that the reggaeton singer is “good” and “whole.” Then, in a more serious tone, she told him that she identified with him.
“Today I see an artist who takes the whole world,” Moreno said of Bad Bunny. “That same strength, that same passion, that helped me to never give up.”
Taking the stage to his song “BAILE INoLVIDABLE,” Bad Bunny, 31, danced a bit of salsa with Moreno, 93.
“Thank you very much, you are whole too,” he told the Oscar- and Tony-winning actress. “It is an honor for me to receive this award from her hands.”
“Every time I hear other artists express themselves in that way of me, it gives me the security of being me and doing the things I do with my heart,” he added.
Bad Bunny was announced as winner of the Billboard Top Latin Artist of the 21st Century Award but didn’t show up at the red carpet. He had previously skipped other major ceremonies so this presence remained a mystery that ended when he showed up at the beginning of the night to pick up the Top Latin Album of the Year.
Bad Bunny had broken a record by being a finalist for 27 categories of the Latin Billboards 2025, and became the top winner of the night with 11 awards, including artist of the year; Global 200 Latin Artist of the Year, and “Hot Latin Songs” Male Artist of the Year.
“I am grateful for these awards, but at the same time I recognize that, just as I deserve it, Rauw, Fuerza Regida, Peso, Karol could win it. I think we are all doing something incredible in music; our music is reaching more and more places,” he said upon receiving the artist of the year award from Olga Tañón. “I think it’s a job that we’re all doing, and that we’re continuing what other artists have been doing for years.”
Bad Bunny’s hit “DtMF” won three awards, including streaming song of the year. His album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” was recognized as Top Latin Album of the year.
Laura Pausini and Karol G shine
Karol G was the biggest female winner of the awards broadcast live on Telemundo from the James L. Knight Center in Miami, receiving six awards, including Hot Latin Songs female artist of the year. Her song “Si antes te hubiera conocido” swept for four awards: Global 200 Latin Song of the Year; Latin Airplay Song of the Year; Sales Song of the Year and Tropical Song of the Year.
“We had an incredible time when we made this song in the studio; That day there was magic, energy. God was in that place,” said Karol G upon receiving the Global 200 Latin Song of the Year award.
Fuerza Regida won five awards, including Regional Mexican Artist of the Year, Duo or Group. Their hit “Tu boda” with Óscar Maydon was recognized as Regional Mexican Song of the Year, and Hot Latin Song of the Year, Vocal Event. Netón Vega was awarded as the debut artist of the year.
Laura Pausini received the Billboard Icon Award for her outstanding international career and performed a moving version of “Mi historia entre tus dedos”, originally released in 1995 by Gianluca Grignani.
“It’s amazing for me to be a part of the history of Latin music,” Pausini said. “I’m going to do something I’ve never done, I’m going to thank this Laura, the hard-working one, the one who is rude, who hasn’t given up when they’ve said no — which have been many times, by the way — who has followed my path honestly,” added pointing towards herself.
Daddy Yankee returns
In his long-awaited return to the stage, Daddy Yankee premiered “Sonríele” worldwide. At the end of his presentation, he said that he had a new mission.
“To tell the world that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life,” he said.
Peso Pluma was surprised to see that his girlfriend, Kenia Os, would present him with the Billboard Vanguard Award for his innovation and contribution to the growth of Mexican music globally. As soon as she went on stage, the couple gave each other a passionate kiss.
“This is a crossroads; I didn’t know she was going to give it to me,” he said. “I’m so glad you gave it to me love… this beautiful woman who has made me a better human being, a better boyfriend, a better boss; a better everything.”
Later, Peso Pluma performed “Apaga la Luz” live.
Elvis Crespo dedicated his Billboard Hall of Fame Award to his “first female manager.”
“It was my mother, Irene, who gave me 5 dollars to take my singing lessons every Friday in Río Piedras,” he said. “Irene, this is for you.”
The Puerto Rican star also thanked his father and his children and ended with an emotional message about music: “I heard somewhere that in the music industry you don’t make friends. That’s a lie, you make friends for life.”
Shakira won three awards: Tour of the Year; Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo, and Latin Pop Song of the Year “Soltera.”
Óscar Maydon, Netón Vega, Aventura, Baby Rasta & Gringo, Benny Blanco, Elvis Crespo, Kapo, Maná, Romeo Santos, Rubby Pérez and Tito Double P were other winners of the night.
Olga Tañón kicked off the ceremony with an energetic interpretation of “El Jolgorio”. There were also memorable performances by Beéle, Danny Ocean, Grupo Frontera, Juan Duque, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho, NXNNI and Ozuna.
Carlos Vives, Emilia, Wisin and Xavi performed “Somos más”, Telemundo’s official anthem for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for 106 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, Miami’s defense was airtight for much of the game and the ninth-ranked Hurricanes pulled away for a 42-7 win over Stanford on Saturday night.
Carson Beck — coming off the first four-interception game of his career — completed 21 of 28 passes for 189 yards and a score for Miami (6-1, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), while Jordan Lyle and Girard Pringle Jr. also ran for touchdowns.
Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson (15) stands back to pass as Miami defensive back Kelonte Scott (0) defends during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Lynne Sladky / AP
Malachi Toney had 138 all-purpose yards, 73 of them coming on a pair of punt returns for the Hurricanes. Miami passed for 205 yards and rushed for 199.
Cole Tabb rushed for 64 yards for Stanford (3-5, 2-3) in the first-ever meeting between the Hurricanes and the Cardinal. Ben Gulbranson threw for Stanford’s lone touchdown and completed five of his first six passes for 31 yards; he was 4-for-15 with two interceptions and only 19 yards the rest of the way.
Stanford led 7-0 after one quarter and it was 7-7 at the half. The rest was all Miami, in a reversal of the game that Stanford interim coach Frank Reich — then the Maryland quarterback — had against the Hurricanes in 1984, when he rallied his team out of a 31-0 halftime hole and won 42-40.
This time, the Hurricanes outscored the Cardinal 35-0 in the final 30 minutes. Stanford racked up 74 yards on its first drive — capped by a TD — then managed only 25 total yards on its next eight possessions combined.
The takeaway
Stanford: Cardinal general manager Andrew Luck spoke to ESPN in-game and raved about what Reich has done in an interim role this season. Stanford is searching for a coach for 2026 and beyond. “Coach Reich’s doing an amazing job and he’s given this team everything he has. … I think the head coach at Stanford football is an amazing job and we’ll find the right person,” Luck said.
Miami: Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, who was shaken up in the Louisville game last week, didn’t play and saw his streak of 19 consecutive starts over the last two seasons end. Mesidor entered the weekend with 26.5 sacks in his career, second-most among active FBS players.
