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State Attorney's Office files charges against Riviera Beach building official

Posted at 3:09 PM, May 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-03 06:30:01-04

The State Attorney’s Office has filed criminal charges against Riviera Beach building official Ladi March, who also goes by the name Ladi Goldwire. 

According to the probable cause affidavit by the State Attorney’s Office, Goldwire falsely stated she was the city’s building official when she did not have the proper licensing. 

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Goldwire was hired on Jan. 10, despite the fact she did not have a building official license. She then got a provisional license in May but investigators say she acted as building official from Jan. 10 to May 7, without any license. 

Detective Zac Aldridge of the Office of the State Attorney said in his report that Goldwire’s actions as building official “caused development companies to change schedules, incur losses and remit fees.”

Investigators are also looking at the relationship between Goldwire and City Councilmember Lynne Hubbard.

“From multiple reports, there is information that Council Lynne Hubbard instructed Danny Jones (then-city manager) to hire Goldwire,” the report said. 

In absence of a licensed building official, the city had to hire a private company, CAP Government.

Contact 5 reported that the city paid CAP $21,000 in addition of Goldwire's $75,000 salary.

According to reports, Goldwire has turned herself in but was given a court date. 

The charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail. 

Sources told Contact 5 that Goldwire's attorney, Malcom Cunningham, attended the secret Hurst Chapel meeting on Sept. 28. 

That meeting was also attended by city council members Terence Davis and Lynne Hubbard as well as former Police Chief Clarence Williams. Sources say attendees discussed the fallout of the firing of City Manager Jonathan Evans and how to keep him out of office. 

Goldwire's provisional license, which was set to expire on May 7, was extended for another six months by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.