RIU Hotels chief facing corruption charges in Miami
The head of Spanish hotel chain RIU Hotels & Resorts has handed himself in to Miami police to answer corruption charges.
Luis Riu Guell Jr. flew from Spain and is facing allegations he provided free and comped stays in exchange for favors from the then building department director for the City of Miami Beach, Mariano Fernandez.
It related to permits for the renovation the Hotel RIU Plaza Miami Beach.
Fernandez was arrested last week after a long investigation into his conduct.
Fernandez was fired from his post last year.
Prosecutors claimed RIU was having issues with the permitting process before Fernandez helped out and was given free and deeply discounted stays at RIU hotels, which were approved by RIU managers.
It was alleged the entire Miami Beach building department were given discounted stays at RIU resorts in Mexico and the Dominican Republic in 2015 and 2016 for so-called ‘team building.’
Riu Guell posted $20,000 bail.
Along with Fernandez and RIU regional vice president, Alejandro Sanchez del Arco, they are charged with unlawful compensation and conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation.
"We are confident that our clients have committed no crime whatsoever," Riu Guell’s attorney said.
Rui Guell runs RIU with his sister which was established by their grandparents and now numbers more than 100 hotels in 19 countries.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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