Miami Chief Offered 'Bribe' to Resign

Photo: Miami PD.A day after saying he was offered $400,000 to "leave quietly," Miami Police Chief Miguel Exposito now says city officials initially offered him $200,000 to leave his post as top cop.

Chief Exposito was offered what he called a bribe last week, reports the Miami New Times.

Prior to a Jan. 13 commission meeting, Miami's Mayor Tomas Regalado, then City Manager Tony Crapp, and CFO Larry Spring met to discuss whether $200,000 would be enough incentive to persuade Chief Exposito to resign.

At 5:34 p.m. Jan. 12, Spring e-mailed the city's finance director, Diana Gomez, saying "per city manager please prepare a check in the amount of $200,000 payable to Miguel Exposito." The check, written from a non departmental account used to pay various types of settlements, was processed almost immediately. It was voided the next day after Exposito turned down the offer.

The Miami New Times posted a copy of the check on its Website. The mayor claims the check was a legal severance offer.

For the past year Regalado and Commissioner Richard P. Dunn II have repeatedly sought Exposito's resignation.

Source: The Miami Herald