Medley Councilwoman Ana Stefano Suspended By Governor Following Felony Fraud Charges
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued an Executive Order suspending Medley Councilwoman Ana Lilia Stefano, who is accused of using her association with a non-profit foundation to commit fraud.
The Executive Order prohibits her from performing any official act, duty, or function of public office and prevents her from receiving any pay, allowance or privileges of public office during her suspension.
Stefano, who is the Executive Director of the Santana Moss Foundation, reportedly sold donated food items from local food banks in violation of a donor agreement with the Feeding America Network.
Her arrest came after a joint investigation by the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust (COE) and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's MultiAgency Public Corruption Unit Task Force.
Stefano has been charged with one count of an organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony, and grand theft, a second-degree felony.
The investigation found that retired NFL Football Player Santana Moss had no knowledge of Stefano's actions. Moss fully cooperated with the investigation.
Stefano had been previously sanctioned twice by the Ethics Commission.
In June 2021, she was reprimanded and fined for using the Medley Town logo in flyers from "the Office of Councilwoman Lily Stefano" to encourage residents to vote for her and the slate of candidates she was endorsing for other elected offices in the town.
In October 2021, she was reprimanded and fined again for reportedly using her office to sponsor and vote on an item that granted the Santana Moss Foundation the benefit of gaining permanent access into the Lakeside Retirement Park in Medley.
