Alberto Gutman

Alberto Gutman (January 4, 1959 – February 16, 2019) was a Cuban-American politician. Born to a Jewish family in Havana, Cuba, he moved to the United States when he was 6 years old.

Early life He lived and went to school in Miami Beach, Florida.

He entered politics and became a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Member of Florida House of Representatives, 1984–92; member of Florida Senate 34th District, 1992–99.

He was a member of the Freemasons, B'nai B'rith, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Theta Kappa.

He was married and had two daughters.

Career

In 1992 he won his first election to the Florida Senate defeating Democrat Kendall Coffey.

Gutman accused his opponent in the 1998 senatorial election of using voodoo against him after Santería paraphernalia was tossed at him and scattered on his vehicle by his opponent's supporters; Gutman won the election.

Resignation and Conviction He was indicted on 32 counts for benefiting from a fake health care company that he had set up to defraud Medicare of $15,000,000. Gutman then resigned his post as Chairman of the Florida Senate Health Care Committee over alleged improprieties in brokering a Medicaid health plan during his term as vice chairman of the committee.

He was charged with conspiracy, money laundering, and witness tampering. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison with three year’s probation, ordered to pay victims $98,175 in restitution and fined $50,000 in 1999.

Death Gutman died on February 16, 2019, at his home in Miami, Florida.

Electoral history Date Position Status Opponent Result Vote share Top-opponent vote share 1984 State Representative Incumbent Harold W. Spaet (D) Elected 58.01% 41.99% 1986 State Representative Incumbent A. J. Daoud (D) Re-elected 63.40% 36.60% 1988 State Representative Incumbent Ran unopposed Re-elected 100.00% 0% 1990 State Representative Incumbent Steve Leifman (D) Re-elected 58.89% 41.11% 1992 State Senator Open-seat Kendall Coffey (D) Elected 56.68% 43.32% 1994 State Senator Incumbent Ran unopposed Re-elected 100.00% 0% 1998 State Senator Incumbent Agustin "Gus" Garcia (D) Re-elected 50.23% 49.77%