A complaint filed with the Florida Commission on Ethics accuses Lauro Diaz, a Republican primary candidate for Palm Beach County sheriff, of either vastly overestimating his net worth or failing to report over $1 million in assets on the financial disclosure form he filed to qualify for the race.
A Wellington resident named John Saroka filed the complaint on Aug. 9, asking that the commission investigate Diaz less than two weeks away from the primary, according to a copy of the complaint reviewed by the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Saroka did not return a voicemail Wednesday morning.
Diaz listed his net worth as $1,348,000 on his qualifying Form 6, the complaint points out. But the form lists his assets as totaling only $338,000: $138,000 in household goods and effects, $50,000 in cash, and a $150,000 pension. All sheriff candidates are required to file the Form 6 with the Florida Commission on Ethics by July 1 in order to qualify for office.
“I do not believe Candidate Diaz was being fully candid with the citizens of Palm Beach County when he filed his Form 6,” Saroka wrote. “Therefore, I humbly request that the Commission on Ethics investigate this matter.”
Lynn Blais, a spokesperson for the commission, said she could not confirm or deny the existence of the complaint because complaints do not become public record until a certain stage in the investigation.
Diaz also reported $375,000 in liabilities on the form, which was filed June 11. Candidates are supposed to calculate their net worth by subtracting their total liabilities from their total assets, according to detailed instructions posted on the commission’s website.
Diaz told the South Florida Sun Sentinel Wednesday that he did not overestimate his net worth, but rather it is likely much higher than what he reported on the form. He said that he had not realized he needed to list assets such as over a million dollars in property, a $300,000 boat, a truck, a car, a horse trailer, and a couple hundred thousand in stocks.
“I filled it out to the best of my ability,” Diaz said of the form. “I did not overestimate my net worth in any shape or form. If anything, I was extremely conservative about it … the only findings they’re gonna find is my net worth is actually higher.”
In an email to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Diaz’s wife compiled assets not mentioned in the filing, including a tractor, a side-by-side, jewelry, designer handbags, $7,000 worth of firearms, and two homes, one he owns with his wife in Highlands County, which he listed as worth $950,000, though property appraiser records say its market value is close to $700,000, and another he owns with his son in Loxahatchee that he listed as worth $550,000 though property appraiser records say its market value is about $400,000.
The email also lists liens on both homes worth $530,000 as well as $20,000 on a Ford F250 truck, more than the $375,000 reported in the filing. Ultimately, the total assets in the email come out to just under $2.5 million, and about $1.9 million when subtracting liabilities.
Diaz said that no one from the state contacted him about his form, so he thought it was correct; he found out about the complaint only because the Palm Beach Post asked him about it.
He never heard from anyone because the Commission on Ethics does not review candidates’ financial disclosure forms to verify their accuracy, according to Blais. The commission investigates disclosures only when a complaint is filed.
“When disclosure forms are filed, we do not audit them in any way,” Blais said. “Someone has to file a complaint alleging someone failed to report something or misreported something. Only upon receipt of a complaint do we look into it.”
If the commission is reviewing the complaint, it will not be able to reach any conclusion before the primary on Aug. 20, because the next meeting is set for Sept. 13.
“That would be next opportunity for anything to be heard,” Blais said.
Diaz is facing Michael Gauger, former chief deputy of the Sheriff’s Office, in the Republican primary on Tuesday. The winner of the primary will face off against the Democrat candidate, either incumbent Sheriff Ric Bradshaw or his challenger, Alex Freeman, in November.
Diaz worked in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for 27 years before leaving, achieving the rank of captain. He later served as deputy chief of the Bartow Police Department.
