Alberto Gutman

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Alberto Gutman (b. 1959) — also known as Al Gutman — of Florida. Born in Havana (La Habana), Cuba, January 4, 1959. Republican. Member of Florida House of Representatives, 1984-92; member of Florida Senate 34th District, 1992-99. Jewish. Member, Freemasons; B'nai B'rith; Phi Kappa Phi; Phi Theta Kappa. In 1992 won first election to Florida Senate and defeated Democrat Kendall Coffey, who was subsequently appointed by President Bill Clinton as the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Accused his opponent in the 1998 senatorial election of using voodoo against him after Santeria paraphernalia was tossed at him and scattered on his vehicle by his opponent's supporters; Gutman won the election. In 1998 he was indicted along with his wife by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida on charges of conspiracy to commit Medicare fraud. Charges were related to 1992 events in a home health care company with an office that was used during his senatorial campaign as a headquarter. Charges against wife were dropped to one misdeameanor count; On 6th day of trial he pleaded guilty to one felony conspiracy count that he benefited from home health care companies that defrauded Medicare, got names of purported patients from voter lists, and received over $800,000 in Medicare payments. He resigned from the Florida Senate as part of the plea bargain that called for a 2 year prison term. Judge Alan Gold rejected the plea agreement and sentenced him in 2000 to five years in prison, fined him $50,000 and ordered to pay $98,175 in restitution. He appealed the conviction and sentence after discovering that the prosecutor manipulated the system so the case would be assigned to Judge Alan Stephen Gold; Judge had a conflict of interest and failed to disclose that he was Kendall Coffey's former law partner; Judge failed to disclose close relationships to his political adversaries. Court of Appeal refused to hear the case. He was released on 2003. Paid fine and restitution on 2007.