We explain HOA law in plain English, but we are not your lawyer and this is not legal advice. Here is why that matters.

Hammocks HOA president sentenced to seven years in what prosecutors call the largest known HOA fraud in the country

Florida · Courts

Hammocks HOA president sentenced to seven years in what prosecutors call the largest known HOA fraud in the country

What happened. The former president of the Hammocks Community Association in Miami-Dade County pleaded guilty and was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by seven years' probation, with roughly three and a half years already served. The pleas were entered on 30 April 2026.1

Marglli Gallego, 44, pleaded guilty to racketeering. Her husband, Juan Antonio Gonzalez, 49, pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and received probation, $50,000 in restitution, and forfeiture back to the association of a residential property valued at approximately $1.2 million.2

The scale

CBS Miami reports the total taken at more than $11 million, from an association serving roughly 18,000 homeowners. Eight people were arrested in the overall case; as of the plea date, four had been sentenced and four were awaiting trial. Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said she believes this is “the longest prison sentence ever for an HOA board president in the United States.”

A figure worth correcting

The publicly reported loss grew from roughly $2 million at charging to more than $11 million at plea. Older coverage — and some current syndications — still carry the $2 million figure. If you are citing a number from an article about this case, check its date.

Outlets also differ on Gonzalez's first name, giving it variously as Juan Antonio and Jose Antonio.

What is and is not established

Gallego and Gonzalez were convicted by their own guilty pleas. The charges against the four remaining defendants are allegations and have not been proven.

We were unable to obtain the charging documents or the State Attorney's release; this account rests on the reporting of two outlets that covered the plea hearing. No court or case numbers appear in any account we could open.

Keep reading with the Florida State Pass

The rest of this analysis — what an association can actually do, the recent bills and rulings, and how Florida compares nationally — is for subscribers. $49/month for every Florida topic on HOA Weekly.

$49/month, $449/year, or a $19.99 day pass.

What you unlock

  • Why 18,000 homeowners is the number that matters
  • The three controls that have to be separated
  • What Florida law now gives owners to work with

and 2 more sections in detail

Unlock Florida

Already a subscriber? Sign in

Recurring monthly subscription · Cancel anytime · Need help?

Related Florida HOA Topics

← All Florida HOA Topics

  1. Local 10, reporting on the Hammocks guilty pleas and sentencing, 30 April 2026 ↩
  2. CBS Miami, reporting on the plea agreement and loss figures ↩
  3. HOA & Condo Fraud Investigative Unit, City of Homestead Police Department ↩

Stay on top of Florida HOA law

Every week: new Florida legislation, court rulings, and regulatory developments affecting condos, planned communities, and property managers. Free.

Check your inbox to complete your sign up.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.