The public relations director for the Florida Keys’ multimillion-dollar tourism agency has turned himself in to local authorities after being charged with multiple counts of perjury and making false statements.
Andy Newman, who leads the company NewmanPR, posted the required bond and was released on Wednesday, his attorney told WLRN, ahead of an arraignment hearing next week.
The charges follow allegations of financial mismanagement at the Tourist Development Council. NewmanPR has contracted with Monroe County to provide public relations services for the tourism agency for decades.
Earlier this week the Monroe County State Attorney’s Office announced it had charged Newman with 14 counts of perjury, a first degree misdemeanor, and 14 counts of making false official statements, a second degree misdemeanor. Under Florida law, each count of perjury is punishable by up to 364 days in county jail and a $1,000 fine, and each count of making false official statements carries a potential penalty of up to six months in county jail and a $500 fine.
In a statement, Newman’s attorney said he "has not committed any criminal acts."
The charges come months after the county’s Tourist Development Council was criticized in a series of audits, alleging financial mismanagement, “repeated noncompliance” with the county’s purchasing policy, a lack of management oversight and ethical concerns.
Specific to NewmanPR, the audits alleged that thousands of dollars worth of billing statements were requested for services from Graphics 71, a company that auditors say doesn’t exist and isn’t registered with the state. One audit accused the firm of "fiscal arrogance."
READ MORE: 'Fiscal arrogance' found in new audit of company working for Florida Keys tourism agency
Those audits prompted the County State Attorney’s Office to launch their own investigation.
“The investigation, which involved information obtained through subpoenas, an audit report from the Clerk of Court, and our own independent in-depth forensic audit uncovered a series of false declarations made by Newman concerning payments allegedly issued by Stuart Newman Enterprises to a fictitious company, Graphics 71,” the office said in a statement.
Newman’s attorney, Russell Yagel, released a statement saying that his client is innocent.
“Andy Newman has not committed any criminal act,” Yagel wrote. “The procedures followed by Andy Newman in connection with the submission of invoices for payment from the Monroe County Clerk of Court were inherited from his late father and had been approved by previous Monroe County Clerks of Court and Monroe County Tourist Development Council staff.”
“To the extent there were any non-compliances with the current Clerk’s expectations, any such non-compliance was unknown, unintentional and immaterial,” the statement continued. “The funds paid to NewmanPR were paid in accordance with the terms of the agreements with Monroe County and fully earned by NewmanPR. Any suggestion or claim to the contrary is absolutely without merit.”
According to Monroe County Sheriff’s Office booking logs, Newman was arrested in Plantation Key Wednesday morning and an arraignment is set for Thursday, Aug. 15.
