North Miami Beach Settlement Was a Step Toward Accountability and Justice

This past Tuesday, June 17, 2025, I voted with the super-majority of the City of North Miami Beach commission to settle former City Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey III’s lawsuit claiming wrongful termination and violation of whistleblower protections. This was a necessary and responsible step to correct a significant injustice.

Mr. Sorey acted in the public interest in helping to expose former Mayor Anthony DeFillipo’s residency and voter fraud; serious violations that ultimately led to Mr. DeFillipo’s guilty plea and permanent disqualification from holding elected office. Mr. DeFillipo misused city resources to conceal that he no longer resided within city limits and allegedly intimidated staff with threats of termination to maintain the cover-up. This misconduct severely damaged public trust and has cost the City upwards of $1 million in related expenses. The settlement represents an effort to address that harm and initiate recovery of funds from those who benefited improperly.

Allegations of city purchase card abuse was used to support Mr. Sorey’s termination which he has been exonerated of. With the instrumental support of State Senator Jason Pizzo, the City partnered with the Florida Auditor General and an independent CPA firm to review four years of purchase card transactions. The audit concluded that over 99% of expenditures were deemed appropriate, with only a single $20 transaction identified as questionable. This independent review stands in direct contrast to a politically motivated report commissioned by Mr. DeFillipo, which lacked CPA oversight and was ultimately rejected by the City.

The complete audit report is available to the public and provides a transparent and fact-based account of these matters.

Under my leadership, North Miami Beach remains committed to transparency, accountability, and protecting the interests of our residents and taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Michael