Toni: TIERRA DEL REY,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIKE
FALLING APART
WHEN WE MOVED IN.
AND MY NEIGHBOR
ACROSS THE STREET WAS GETTING
20 KILOS A WEEK,
SO HE WAS WATCHING OUT FOR ME.
EVERYBODY WAS HURT FOR MONEY
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
EVERYBODY HAD MONEY.
THAT WAS A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU SHELL OUT AN EXTRA HUNDRED
GRAND YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO,
AND IT’S OKAY. YOU KNOW,
JON WAS GOOD LIKE THAT.
IT DIDN’T MATTER, THOUGH.
IT WAS NEVER LIKE,
“UH-OH, I DON’T HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THIS.”
WELL, YOU KNOW,
HOW COULD THAT BE?
HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY BE?
I HAD THREE CIGARETTES
HANGING IN THE BACK YARD,
TWO COUGARS, I HAD MOUNTAIN
LIONS LIVING IN MY HOUSE.
I HAD A HELICOPTER
IN MY BACK YARD.
AND I USED TO FLY WITH
THE HELICOPTER TO THE RACETRACK.
EVERYBODY ELSE
WAS DRIVING THEIR CARS.
I’D LAND TO SEE MY HORSES
RUNNING IN THE HELICOPTER
FOR LIKE AN HOUR
AND THEN GO BACK HOME.
I HAD 40, 50 HORSES AT A TIME,
RACE HORSES.
Toni: OH, MY GOD,
HE HAD TERRIFIC RACE HORSES.
Jon: YOU KNOW WHAT
THEY COST A MONTH TO FEED?
50,000 A MONTH
JUST TO FEED ‘EM.
YOU DIDN’T CARE WHAT IT COST
‘CAUSE YOU HAD MONEY
IN YOUR POCKET.
PEOPLE WENT OUT AND PARTIED.
Man: WE SUDDENLY HAD DOZENS
OF SUPER-HIGH-END
NIGHTCLUBS OPENING.
IT’S BEEN YEARS SINCE
A REAL NIGHT CLUB
OPENED ON MIAMI BEACH.
Jon: THE JOCKEY CLUB,
TURNBERRY,
THE PALM BAY CLUB,
THE CRICKET CLUB.
Man: BUT THE BEST OF ALL CLUBS
WAS DEFINITELY
THE MUTINY
IN COCONUT GROVE.
IT CATERED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY
TO THE DRUG TRAFFIC.
Mickey: IF YOU WERE IN THAT
TRADE, YOU HAD THE MONEY.
YOU COULD ENTERTAIN PEOPLE
LAVISHLY.
JON: I MEAN WE USED TO GO
INTO RESTAURANTS…
Toni: TO DINNER AT ARTURO’S,
OR THE PALM
OR JOE’S STONE CRAB.
Jon: AT THAT TIME, THE FORGE
WAS THE BEST RESTAURANT.
THEY WOULD JUST GIVE US
THE BACK ROOM AT THE FORGE
AND JUST CLOSE
THE WHOLE BACK ROOM DOWN.
AND HERE YOU COULD SPEND
$20,000 IN A NIGHT THERE
AND WE WOULD DESTROY THE WALLS,
AND HERE’S THE MONEY,
WHATEVER WE DID, FIX IT UP.
IT WAS LIKE WASTE, IT WAS LIKE
NOTHING, THE MONEY.
Mickey: AND JON LIKED TO GO OUT
TO THE LADIES BARS.
Jon: IT WAS NOTHING TO SPEND
$5,000 IN A STRIP JOINT.
I MEAN, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
NOT ONE NIGHT
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
THREE OR FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK
AND I’D TELL MY FRIENDS,
“YOU SEE THAT GIRL THERE?
“I GUARANTEE YOU I CAN GET HER
TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU TONIGHT.”
AND HE WOULD SAY,
“THERE’S NO WAY,
“SHE DOESN’T WANT TO LOOK AT ME
AND HAVE SEX.”
AND I’D TELL HER,
“HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED
“TO HAVE SEX WITH THIS GUY?”
“I’M NOT DOING THAT.”
“YOU’RE NOT DOING
IT? HERE’S 500.”
“I’M NOT DOING IT.”
“HERE’S A THOUSAND.”
“YOU’RE NOT DOING IT?
HERE’S 2000.”
EVENTUALLY, LIKE I SAID,
SHE’D BREAK DOWN,
$2,000, $3000,
“I’LL HAVE SEX.”
AND THE GUY WOULD BE LIKE,
YOU KNOW, THEY’D BE SHAKING,
THEY COULDN’T UNDERSTAND
HOW YOU DO ALL THIS.
I STILL BELIEVE IT NOW EVEN
THOUGH MAYBE MIAMI’S CHANGED,
EVERYBODY HAD A PRICE.
EVERYBODY DOES HAVE A PRICE.
THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE
THAT DON’T.
YOU COULD START AS HIGH
AS NORIEGA IN PANAMA
AND YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY DOWN
TO CITY MANAGERS,
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
IF SOMEBODY GOT PULLED OVER
AND THEY HAD 50 KILOS
IN THE TRUNK, OFFER A BRIBE.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU COULDN’T
BRIBE A COP WITH $20
OR $50 OR $100, BUT THERE WERE
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
TELL THEM WITHIN AN HOUR
YOU’LL HAVE
WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT
THERE IN CASH.
HALF A MILLION DOLLARS,
THREE QUARTERS
OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
Jon: BUT YOU’VE GOT TO LEAVE
WITH THE COKE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME
IT WORKED.
I HAPPENED TO KNOW
THIS LIEUTENANT
THAT WORKED IN NORTH BAY
VILLAGE,
APPROACHED HIM ONE DAY
AND I SAID,
“LISTEN, I WANT TO
UNLOAD SOME BOATS
“BEHIND THE NORTH BAY VILLAGE
POLICE DEPARTMENT,
“YOU THINK WE’VE GOT
ANY PROBLEM DOING THAT?”
HE SAID, “I’LL TELL YOU WHAT,
WE’LL HAVE TWO PATROL CARS
“AND WE’LL THROW IT
IN THE BACK OF THE PATROL CARS
“AND DRIVE IT
WHEREVER YOU WANT.”
WE HAD FOUR MAYORS INDICTED,
MOST OF THEM CONVICTED
OF ENGAGING IN CORRUPTION.
WE BECAME SO POWERFUL
AND HAD SO MUCH MONEY.
ARE THERE PLACES
WHERE THEY ARE MORE POWERFUL
THAN THE GOVERNMENT?
UH…UNFORTUNATELY
I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE TRUE.
I WAS A MEMBER OF
THE REPUBLICAN INNER CIRCLE.
HOWARD BAKER SENT ME A LETTER
AND SAID,
“SEND ME MY CONTRIBUTION
AND YOU CAN COME TO WASHINGTON.”
HERE I AM WITH ALL THESE
SENATORS, ALL THESE BIG PEOPLE,
AND NOT ONE OF THEM
EVER QUESTIONED ME
OR EVEN SAID TO ME, “WHAT IS IT
YOU DO DOWN IN MIAMI?”
COME ON,
THEY WELCOMED ME IN THERE
BECAUSE I MADE A BIG
CONTRIBUTION
TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
YOU’RE IN THE INNER CIRCLE,
AND I SAID TO MYSELF,
“YOU KNOW, I DID THIS, YOU KNOW,
ALL WITH DRUGS
“AND I DID IT
WITH NOTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW.”
COCAINE TRAFFICKING
AND THE MONEY,
THE MONEY ALMOST RUINS
ANY MORALITY IN THIS COMMUNITY.
Reporter: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN CASH
SUPPORTS A NETWORK
OF DRUG BANKS.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A CITY
WITH SO MANY BANKS?
YOU’RE GONNA TELL ME
THERE’S THAT KIND OF
INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS
IN THIS CITY?
PLEASE, COME ON.
Reporter: WHAT MAKES
LAW OFFICIALS SUSPICIOUS
IS THAT LAST YEAR
SOUTH FLORIDA BANKS
TOOK IN $6 BILLION
IN EXTRA CASH FROM DEPOSITORS.
BANK PRESIDENTS WERE IN ROOMS
FOR DAYS COUNTING CURRENCY.
Man: IS LANDMARK A COCAINE BANK?
IT IS NOT, DEFINITELY NOT.
Burstyn: BANKS INVESTED
IN HUGE CASH-COUNTING MACHINES.
Man 3: LACKING STORAGE SPACE,
THE BANKS TURNED IT OVER
TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE.
Reporter: AUTHORITIES SAY A BANK
THIS SIZE NORMALLY DEPOSITS
ABOUT $12 MILLION A YEAR IN CASH
WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE.
LAST YEAR,
CONTINENTAL-NATIONAL
DEPOSITED $600 MILLION IN CASH.
ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT
IN THIS BANK
THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG?
Reporter: THIS IS
THE COUNTING ROOM
OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE
BANK IN MIAMI.
LAST YEAR,
THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK HERE
GENERATED A SURPLUS IN CASH
OF $5 BILLION,
MORE MONEY THAN ALL OF THE OTHER
FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS
IN THE COUNTRY COMBINED.
MIAMI COULD POSSIBLY BE
DESCRIBED
AS THE OVERSEAS
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
FOR MONEY LAUNDERING
FOR THE COLOMBIANS.
I STARTED BUYING PROPERTY
ALL OVER THE PLACE.
Reporter: THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF PROPERTIES
WORTH MORE
THAN A BILLION DOLLARS
THAT HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH
ILLICIT MONEY IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
Mickey: A COUPLE OF HOUSES.
Jon: WE BOUGHT A BOAT COMPANY.
Mickey: THE PROPERTY
WHERE THE BOAT SHOP WAS AT.
Jon: WE BOUGHT APARTMENTS.
Mickey: LOTS OF WAREHOUSE SPACE.
Jon: WE BOUGHT 480 ACRES
OF LAND UP IN TAMPA.
Mickey: GREAT DEAL
OF REAL ESTATE.
Jon: WE BOUGHT ONE
OF THE BUILDINGS
SO WE COULD
MAKE IT A RADIO ROOM.
Mickey: A THOUSAND ACRES
UP HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.
DRUG DEALERS WOULD COME IN
AND BUY 8, 10, 15 HOUSES.
Mickey:
ONE PLACE IN SOUTH MIAMI,
I OWNED PRACTICALLY
THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.
I HAD $24 MILLION
IN REAL ESTATE.
I’M GOING TO WORK ONE DAY,
I COME ONTO INTERSTATE 95,
WHICH GIVES ME A BEAUTIFUL VIEW
OF ALL OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI.
“LOOK AT THIS”
AND WE COUNTED…
22 CONSTRUCTION CRANES
ON THE HORIZON,
THAT WE COULD SEE.
I SAID, “I WONDER HOW MUCH
OF THIS IS DRUG MONEY.”
GOD! HOW MUCH DID I SPEND?
Burstyn: AND THERE WAS SO MUCH
MONEY THAT ONCE IT BROKE THROUGH
IT COULDN’T BE ERADICATED.
PROBABLY AS MUCH
AS I PUT IN THE BANK–
$50 MILLION EASILY, EASILY.
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
MAY HAVE FUNDED
A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND
A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IN MIAMI.
BUT IT WAS BLOOD MONEY.
Song of Solomon 2 The Rosevof Sharon
2 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.
10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
13 The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.
