Bina Fink, an aide to Broward Mayor Steve Geller, used Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz to secure a loan from a local attorney, court records show. In September 2017, Russell Thompson sued Bina Fink in Broward County Court over her failure to repay a 2016 loan in the amount of $9,981 loan to Thompson. According to the complaint, Fink told Thompson she needed a temporary loan to pay for travel expenses.

Bina Fink told Thompson she was due $10,000 for work she performed for the Democratic National Committee. The complaint states, “[Fink] said she would be receiving a check from Debbie Wasserman Schultz as payment.” Then, Bina Fink “called Debbie Wasserman Schultz in the presence of [Thompson] to confirm she would be receiving her payment.”

Thompson gave Fink the loan. In return, Fink gave Thompson a check in the same amount which he could cash the following week. When Thompson attempted to deposit check, Fink told him she did not have the money.

Two months after filing the lawsuit, Fink agreed to repay the loan over the next ten months.

Did Bina Fink really get Debbie Wasserman-Schultz on the phone to discuss a $10,000? Unfortunately, Russell Thompson died suddenly in December 2018. But published reports and numerous selfies on Facebook appear to show a close relationship between Wasserman-Schultz and Fink.

In 2016, Bina Fink defended Wasserman-Schultz from attacks by Bernie Sanders supporters at the Democratic National Convention. “The party is going to realize that they’re losing somebody amazing,” Fink told NPR. “There’s really good people, but nobody like Debbie.”

SELFIE QUEEN

In July 2016, REDBROWARD warned Russell Thompson about Bina Fink’s increased role in his judicial campaign.

At the time, REDBROWARD contacted “Hollywood TV” a clickbait website dedicated to covering red carpet events for the movie and music industries. Fink repeatedly took photographs at events while holding a microphone emblazoned with “Hollywood TV.” We were unable to find any official Hollywood TV photographs or video taken by Fink. In an email to REDBROWARD, a representative stated Fink was not an employee of the outlet.

REDBROWARD confronted Fink at a Broward Republican Party meeting about her actual media/publicist credentials. Fink denied knowledge of multiple lawsuits accusing her of fraud.

Fink appears to have done little more than snap selfies with politicians at local Democrat and Republican events.

Yet, Bina Fink parlayed these shameless selfies into a paid gig as “Hispanic outreach” aide to Broward Mayor Steve Geller.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

Bina Fink made local headlines last week when the Sun-Sentinel revealed she was the subject of a criminal investigation. Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) investigators were looking into Fink’s relationship with Carole Porter, a recently widowed freelance journalist. While Fink snapped blurry selfies at political events, Porter is a well-known for taking high quality photographs at these same events.

According to the Sun-Sentinel:

“The widow, Carol Porter, claims Fink persuaded her to hire a new money manager, a new accountant and an attorney Fink recommended. In a written statement submitted to police last July, Porter says she transferred $798,948 to the money manager Fink lined up. When she eventually grew suspicious and tried to transfer the money back, she discovered thousands of dollars missing, she said.

Porter claims she had given Fink part of the missing funds — $82,500 — to pay the new lawyer, much of it through checks made out to “cash.”

Surely, Mayor Steve Geller came to rescue of elderly widowed, right?

Wrong.

Despite knowing BSO investigators subpoenaed his aide’s financial records, Steve Geller heaped praise on Fink.

Geller, a lawyer/lobbyist told the Sun-Sentinel, ““If Bina were to be convicted of a crime, obviously I would have a completely different view. I might have a different view if there was a finding of probable cause. But I’d have to review the indictment.”

Way to go Steve Geller. Not even a “I’ll ask her some tough questions” line of defense. Nope. Geller won’t even bother to ask questions until he has a chance to review an indictment. A real profile in courage.

Former Broward Democrat Party Chairman Mitch Ceasar is no better. “I just know her from Democratic meetings, Democratic activism,” he said. “She was very good at publicizing events and was very helpful that way, in putting out to the community different things that were happening.”

Taking selfies means you are “very good at publicizing events?!?” Shame on you Mitch.

Hopefully, BSO investigators don’t fall into same trap as Thompson and Porter. Bina Fink’s selfie collection does not mean she wields any real influence or power with politicians.