Prosecutors contend that Robaina charged Perez the same 36-percent interest on $750,000 in loans and collected some $300,000 in secret cash payments and $300,000 in check payments. Robaina’s defense counters that he charged only 18 percent and that the payments were made only in checks.
Hernandez did not report any of the checks he received from Perez on his city financial disclosure forms, or on his 2007-09 federal tax returns attached to some of those forms, according to records obtained by the Miami Herald.
It’s unclear whether Hernandez has since amended those returns or otherwise settled with the feds. The prosecutor and defense attorney treaded lightly on the mayor Wednesday. Hernandez did not respond to a series of questions the Herald emailed Thursday to his chief of staff, Arnie Alonso.
Among the questions Hernandez didn’t answer: whether he fears any future charges, or why he repeatedly and publicly denied three years ago that he charged Perez high interest rates.