Capital Bank founder Abel Holtz, a civic icon whose career faded amid sexual harassment complaints and accusations that he misused bank funds, pleaded guilty to lying to a Federal grand jury that investigated former Miami Beach Mayor Alex Daoud. On the same day that another grand jury was poised to vote on an indictment against him, Holtz, 59, stepped before a federal judge and admitted he had lied about payments he made to Daoud, then in prison on public corruption charges. Holtz admitted that he paid Daoud for legal services that were not provided but did not say what he got for his money.
Rebecca Fischer, former chief lawyer for Miami's Capital Bank, accused Abel Holtz, of engaging in "the unwelcome touching of my body" - (AKA, "sexual harassment on the job"). Then, Capital Bank - without its board's prior approval - handed her and another woman accuser $355,000 in bank funds to shut up and go away!
The section of SW 16th Street near FIU (formerly called Jose Canseco Boulevard), was renamed to Abel Holtz Blvd. Apparently the good people on the County Commission felt it was not quite appropriate to have a city street named after the man who ushered in baseball’s steroid era. Fair enough, County Commission, nobody wants to live on a street named after a cheater, liar and sexual harasser.
But while Canseco admitted to cheating at what is ultimately a meaningless game with pretty much irrelevant consequences, there is another stretch of road in this town named after a far worse cheater. One who cheated not only the people of Dade County, but also cheated at life. I am talking, of course, about SE 2nd Ave., also known as Abel Holtz Blvd.
