felony - REDBROWARD

Dale Holness & Alcee Hastings at Damara Holness event in June 2020

Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness threw his daughter under the proverbial bus following her arrest for felony conspiracy on Wednesday. The United States of America Department Of Justice claims Damara Holness conspired to fraudulently obtain a $300,000 COVID-19 relief loan and then attempted to hide her fraud with the help of co-conspirators. REDBROWARD first exposed Damara Holness’ PPP loan scheme in August 2020.

Damara Holness’ arrest comes at the worst time for Dale Holness. He is currently running for the US Congressional seat previously held by the late Alcee Hastings.

When the news of her arrest finally broke, Dale Holness made laughable claims about his relationship with Damara Holness to the Miami Herald. In a text message to a Miami Herald reporter, Holness said he and Damara “have been estranged for years.”

While it appears her social media was recently scrubbed, Damara Holness posted photographs of her father attending a Broward Black Democratic Caucus event in June 2020. That’s one year ago.

Other witnesses recall seeing the Holness father and daughter at political events over the last year.

Perhaps realizing his “estranged for years” excuse would not hold up to scrutiny, the Holness campaign posted a. new statement on social media:

“I have no details as to how she conducted her business or what she did with her business entities. Damara has had no access to my real estate business, office, or had my permission to use my address or to conduct business on behalf of the Holness family name nor myself. She has had no access to my office.”

As REDBROWARD reported last year, Damara Holness used Dale Holness’ real estate office as the address Holness Consulting Inc. She formed the company in November 2018.

In December 2013, Damara Holness received her State of Florida real estate license. The address used on her real estate license is the same as Dale Holness’ office. The license is valid through September 2021.

Is this the definition of “estranged?”

In April, this reporter spotted Damara Holness at Dale Holness‘ campaign kickoff at his Plantation real estate office. Damara Holness arrived late. She tried to avoid cameras as she slipped into Dale Holness’ office.

Earlier this year, a source close to the Holness family told REDBROWARD that Damara Holness was banned from the office AFTER REDBROWARD revealed the questionable PPP loan. The source claims Holness allies feared law enforcement would use the matter to conduct surveillance of the office.

Tamarac Commissioner Marlon Bolton was charged with Felony Grand Theft (Third Degree) for using a forged check to withdraw $4,120 from his employer’s bank account. REDBROWARD obtained portions of the Miami Beach Police Report along with copies of his booking information and mugshot. REDBROWARD also obtained copies of an email Bolton sent to the victim two days after the crime.

According to a Miami Beach police report, on Thursday, February 25, 2010 Marlon Bolton presented a forged withdrawal slip at the Wachovia Bank on Lincoln Road. Bolton allegedly forged the signature of Steve Benz, the owner of No. 23 Model Management, on the slip. Bolton was an employee of No.23 Model Management.

Bolton was given $4,120 by a bank teller.

When he saw the transaction Benz, who lives in Tampa, immediately called the bank. Benz, “was told by a bank employee that Mr. Bolton had approached the counter in person, and was given the funds by a bank employee.”

On Friday, February 26, 2010 Benz called Miami Beach Police. The case was assigned to economic crimes division.

The police report states, “surveillance video available.”

“I WAS HEATED”

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, Marlon Bolton sent a rambling, self-serving apology filled with misspellings to the victim. Benz told REDBROWARD Bolton was unaware he had filed a police report when he sent the email. While he gives brief mention to the pain his action caused Benz and his wife, Bolton goes on to lament how his actions affected himself.

“On Friday, I was heated. Again self-absorbed, ready to fight a legal battle and be tough, alluded (sic) myself to think that I was right,” Bolton wrote.

Bolton continued, “This morning I got up and realized I was wrong. I know it’s a day late and a dollar short, and the damage has been done, but I believe that all is not lost. For this time, I thought of the many peopele (sic) before I think about myself.”

“It is funny how I made myself believe that I was doing myself justice, stamping my feet like a little child to get what I wanted, but nothing has happened but a child whom has run out of his father’s luck,” Bolton wrote. “I am not asking you to continue to invest, but asking for your forgiveness, I am asking for sometime to proove (sic) that I can actually bill (sic) and change the models lifes (sic), I am asking you for the time to use my knowledge of booking to generate income to pay you back.”

Then Bolton scolds Benz with, “Being heated and upset flashing your majic wand and changing telephone numbers to teach me a lesson will only further break me down devastate my life, but in the end you would still be out of money….”

“I am humbly asking that you and I be humble and come to some mutual understanding to make this work,” Bolton wrote. “I do not have the lump sum you asked for, but I am confident that we can come to some understanding where it is repaid over time. I am willing to try again.”

Three months later, Bolton was charged with felony grand theft and booked into a Miami-Dade jail on May 4, 2010.

On May 5, 2010 Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle’s office sent a form letter to the victim. The letter asked Benz to contact her office to provide information on the case.

Benz told REDBROWARD he was unhappy with the way the Miami Beach Police Department handled the investigation. He felt the investigation was not a priority for them. Benz said he made repeated phone calls to detectives about securing the bank surveillance tapes.

Weeks later, the Miami-Dade State Attorney informed Benz the case would be dropped because the bank surveillance tapes were not secured in time. The bank’s security system recorded over the Bolton incident.

The Bolton case files are not found on the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts website. It is likely Bolton had records sealed and/or expunged.

Marlon Bolton did not respond to requests for comment.

But the Miami Beach PD and Miami-Dade State Attorney were not the only ones to drop the ball.

Both Benz and others told REDBROWARD the media, including the Sun-Sentinel, had this information in January 2020. Bolton faced re-election in November 2020 and the Sun-Sentinel never said a word?

Guess Tamarac voters did not deserve the truth, right.?