DeSantis suspends City Councilwoman Angelica Pacheco

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HIALEAH, Fla. (WFLA) – Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Tuesday suspending a Hialeah City Councilwoman.

The governor’s office announced that Councilwoman Angelica Pacheco would be suspended after a federal grand jury indicted her on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.

Florida law allows the governor to suspend any official charged with a federal crime.

“It is in the best interest of the residents of the City of Hialeah and the citizens of the State of Florida that Angelica Pacheco be immediately suspended from the public office she currently holds,” DeSantis’ executive order states.

Under the suspension, the councilwoman would be prohibited from performing her official duties as a councilwoman, would not receive any compensation for her position, and would be denied all privileges of her public office. The order will remain in effect until DeSantis issues another order or the law requires otherwise.

NBC affiliate WTVJ reported that Pacheco, who was elected in November, was accused of billing insurance companies for more than $19 million in services for Florida Life Recovery and Rehabilitation, Pacheco’s former treatment center.

The indictment states that the defunct center made these claims over a period of three years.

In a statement in Spanish, the councilwoman denied everything in response to the indictment. She said that although the allegations originated in Hialeah, the mayor was behind the investigation because of “her extensive network of contacts.”

Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr. issued his own statement, saying the federal charges had nothing to do with her work as a city councilor, but that it was still an unfortunate incident.

“This decision is the result of the grand jury indictment of Ms. Pacheco for multimillion-dollar fraud announced last week,” Bovo said in a statement following DeSantis’ order. “I reiterate my disappointment in Ms. Pacheco’s actions and hope to put this dark chapter for the city behind us.”