Billy Corben
Appearances
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And I think the attorneys involved have alleged that as many as 40, if not more women have come forward with allegations. Is that I mean, and if this does date back to high school, it could be, I mean, multiples of that number.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
So Sheridan, catching up to this week, two things happened. There was an indictment, a federal indictment for sex trafficking in the Southern District of New York. And then there was state charges of rape against two of the brothers and I believe a cousin who still was still at large.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And the other brothers were arrested by the FBI in their homes in Miami Beach and I believe the Miami Beach Police Department as well. Can you kind of parse out what's happened here with the federal versus the state of Florida charges?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
That is a rough trip without bond. That is the Con Air trip. I think that's a bus and two planes in custody for guys that are used to a very different kind of a lifestyle, not only selling luxury, but living in luxury in some of the most expensive and beautiful cities of the world. Catherine, what is I guess what is the difference?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Just so we understand between the state charges and the state seems to get much more specific. Federal fields a little broad to me reading the indictment.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
This question, I guess, last question is for the both of you. You work for therealdeal.com. This is a real estate periodical. Is that still a thing? Do we call things periodicals? No, in magazines, right? Periodical means it's distributed periodically or released periodically. Are you figuring it out, Billy? I don't know. I'm feeling old. I just felt really old saying that. Periodical, yeah.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
The old-timey periodical. Anyway, sorry. I digress.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Yeah. Yes. I'm going to go down to the newsstand, to Hudson News at the airport. Oh, my God. But this is for both of you. So let's talk about the reaction in the real estate community itself. Because obviously there is the tragedy of this situation for the accusers and the alleged victims. But...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I mean, the way I've heard it described down here in Miami is schadenfreude is the description I've heard. I mean, what they had a bit of a reputation for ruthlessness in their business. So can you tell us, I guess, Sharon, you could get first and Catherine, you could wrap us up.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
What has been the reaction from the people that you've talked to who are colleagues, peers, coworkers, et cetera, in the luxury real estate world?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Yeah, justice delayed is not only justice denied in a case like this, but it allows the runway for additional praying if that's in fact what happened here. Obviously, with the allegations, if they are in fact proven, there were many more victims that perhaps did not have to be victimized because this was like.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
kept on the on the down low as it was, and I think is proven by your the response to your Instagram and in your comments. There may not have been any justice here at all for these alleged victims, if not for your reporting, because it was the amplification of the story and the publication of the news of the initial lawsuits that that I guess empowered
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
these women to come forward to the state attorney's office in miami-dade county and and to the southern district of new york so thank you for your outstanding work keep it up catherine calurgis and sheridan wall therealdeal.com thank you for having us thank you
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Daniel Figueiredo and his wife Rosa Romero are two of my modern Miami heroes. They risked it all to pursue their dream of opening a small business and making it the world's greatest Cuban sandwich shop. But they nearly lost everything in the process. They personify not only the American dream, but the spirit of the Miami hustle itself.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
against all odds they risked everything to build a powerful family business create a proud local brand from nothing with their bare hands all while their own city government waged a war against them tried to crush their dreams and put them and their beautiful children out on the street with nothing and not because of anything they did mind you but because one petty pathetic man
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Miami's biggest bully and most corrupt commissioner, Joe Carollo, had a personal vendetta against their first landlord, something we've talked about on this show for years. And he was willing to abuse his power and weaponize the city government to violate local and state laws and the Constitution of the United States.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
But the people of Miami rallied around Rosa and Daniel and their ridiculously hard work. And they overcame all that adversity and not only survived, but thrived. Daniel and Rosa won, and the corrupt bullies lost. A nice change of pace for the Miami mafia here, who is usually undefeated, as we know. And Miami is better for this. I know I am.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I have hit women.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Their perseverance inspires me and helps give me the strength to face this f***ery. Every day. They founded Sandwich Day Miami in 2015, which has repeatedly, internationally, and accurately been declared the home of the world's greatest Cuban sandwich. I'm partial to the Medianoche, the Miami sandwich, if you're into turkey, and their new ham, egg, and cheese, Roy.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
They have breakfast offerings now. That's probably my new favorite. However, their Cuban is... Hands down the best Cuban sandwich in the world.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Yes, you know, with that salami from the famous Cuban town of Genoa. You know, I mean, come on now. Daniel, I'm so thrilled. After that introduction, you might just want to say goodnight, you know, just quit while you're ahead. Goodbye and thank you. But I'm so thrilled that you're here.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I want to get into some of the kind of logistics of what it takes to be a successful small business owner in Miami, which is like Mission Impossible. I touched upon it a little bit, but how does this story start? It's you and Rosa, a dream in a shipping container on Calle Ocho. Tell us about some of those early headwinds and what the hell happened at the beginning of this adventure.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
This is just for clarity. This is Bill Fuller. He's most kind of famously known as a co-owner of Ball and Chain, the historic nightclub on Miami's historic Cayocho and Little Havana, but also a very prominent property owner in and around Miami. Yeah.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Which, of course, you were not. You knew you were not the city. The city already told you you were not. At one point, the rumors were that I was running a meth lab. Oh, really? Yeah, yeah. Listen, those sandwiches are pretty addictive, not going to lie. You know, yeah, people thought I was putting crack in the ham. The harassment was unceasing. You just said the police like stormtroopers.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I mean, this is what was how you guys were being raided. All of Bill Fuller's properties and any businesses affiliated with him were being raided. I mean, this was a this was a personal vendetta where the government was being weaponized against legitimate, hardworking small business owners.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You established clearly and honestly that you you're apolitical. You don't give a shit about politics. But more importantly here, though, too, you had no beef with this guy. I don't know that you even knew who this guy was from Alfie or from Adam or from anybody. I didn't give a shit.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
When you go to your government, And you say, hey, we don't need your help, per se. You're not looking for a handout. We just need you to do what you're here to do, which is to assist business owners and residents with the permitting process, the basic legalities of opening a new small business. And the government not only fails...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
to fulfill their minimum responsibilities to the taxpaying public, but instead they actually proactively work to destroy you. How bad did it get? I mean, what was the lowest?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You now have four locations by my count, if my count is correct. So this is definitely a story with a happy ending. But I want to play something for you and ask you a quick question.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
We've made it easier, says Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. The head of the business prevention district. The business prevention. Oh, no, the BPD. Francis Suarez has been the biggest cheerleader for Miami, as we know, all over the world. How can I help? For years now. And all I keep hearing, and that was a very tiny sample of just...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You know, him going on ad nauseum on every national and international platform saying Miami is business friendly. We are deregulating. We are streamlining the permitting process, making it easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses to open up their shops and be successful. And you have all the tools in Miami's business friendly, business friendly, business friendly environment.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You had that experience now times three in Miami, once in the city of Coral Gables, which is a different city, but in Dade County. What has your experience been with how business friendly Miami is?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Yeah, three years. Were you paying rent during that time?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
It's a very Carollo Christmas. Happy holidays to everyone, except Miami's biggest bully and most corrupt commissioner. And to you, Roy. Oh, thank you. I appreciate it. Happy Hanukkah to you. Shalom. Yeah. Looks like David Sampson was here. I see the menorah on the desk. Is he in there somewhere? Dave? Crushed by one of the candles. How are you doing, Roy? You all right?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You don't just contribute economically. You contribute culturally to this community. And three years to open a 500 square foot restaurant. It takes nine months to make a baby for crying out loud. I'm sorry. It takes a woman nine months to make a baby. It takes a man about 30 seconds. It's a very expensive 30 seconds. I'll have you know that. But, Daniel, I could talk to you all day about this.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And I want to talk more in the future about how to solve these problems since the government here in Miami is clearly not working to do it regardless of what they tell the world on television. It's not just a hard work. It's just a superior product. That's why everybody who tries it goes, holy shit.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
In the city of Miami, the government doesn't work for the people. The people work for the government, and that is just back ass words. But you heard the mayor. He's fixed the building department, so don't worry about it. If you put garbage in, you're going to get garbage out. Daniel Figueredo. Sandwich Miami, my best to Rosa and the family. Happy holidays, my friend. Thanks, brother.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I haven't seen you in a minute.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Riding the Zamboni around Miramar? What are you doing? What did you do?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Yeah. It took four days.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You're like, f*** this. Yeah. We have a fun show. It's not really that fun. It's kind of intense. Wait until you listen. It's a real bonbon. I've actually got one of my favorite entrepreneurs in Miami, the owner of Sandwich de Miami, the best Cuban sandwich shop in the world. Daniel and his wife Rosa built one of the great Miami brands.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
I think it's going to be hugely successful if they can only get their next door open in Miami, which it turns out not as business friendly as Mayor Francis Suarez would have you believe. Also, we are talking first about the Alexander Brothers, who this is an unbelievable story of power and privilege and now allegedly serial gang rape for the last several decades. I mean, this is a... Fun show.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
The Miami story for the ages. And if it turns out to be true, they're going to do a lot of time. But there is a fun show that I can recommend to you.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
What if I told you that a Miami developer... And part-time Medicare fraudster by the name of Roberto Antonio Francisco Emilio Rorigo de Leon. I'm in already. What's his name again? Roberto Antonio Francisco Emilio Rorigo de Leon. A descendant. The lion. A descendant. Yes, he is the lion of Lincoln Road. He is a descendant, he claims.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
of Spanish explorer, conquistador, and Florida colonizer, Juan Ponce de Leon. Well, he said he was searching, the claim was, you know, he was searching for the fountain of youth, but he wasn't. He was here to colonize Florida. Some people say it was a Ponce scheme. I'm waiting for it.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
So he is planning on demolishing the entire 1100 block of Lincoln Road, where the Regal Movie Theater and the Brito stores. The entire section? The entire block. Because he's going to build a 75-story luxury hotel, condos. You know, we need housing. And these condos start at $3 million. And in addition to world-class entertainment and restaurants, there is going to be a...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Multi-level, 180,000 square foot Vegas-style casino. The first legal casino in the history of Miami Beach. A place where every hotel used to have a bookie working, you know, semi-secretly. And obviously, Lincoln Road's not a protected landmark. Now, here's the thing. Everything I told you is not true. Okay.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
This is the premise of a new play called Lincoln Road Hustle that is opening this weekend at Miami New Drama on Lincoln Road. And the premise of the show is the audience comes to the ceremonial groundbreaking of this giant casino. So you're right there on the 1100 block of Lincoln Road. And it's like this huge press conference.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And then you put on these headphones and you start to walk around Lincoln Road with tour guides and five little groups. And you hear these different scenes happening around Lincoln Road around this groundbreaking. And it all kind of comes together in this crazy ending. But what's wild is that Lincoln Road is the stage. So people just walking by or people having dinner, they're like in the play.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Everybody's just in the play and crazy shit happens. It's totally unpredictable. On the first night of previews, there was a block party. So like people were just out on our stage basically where the actors are walking and talking. And at the movie theater, someone pulled the fire alarm. So the entire theater emptied out onto Lincoln Road where everybody was performing. So I co-wrote the play.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
It's a lot of fun. It's a fun night out. It's a five drink minimum. It's not just for financial reasons. It also makes the show a little bit better, a little social lubrication. You think comedy clubs have two drink minimums because they want to make money? It's like, no, they want you to laugh. But it's a lot of fun. If you go to DeLeonCasino.com. You can learn more and get tickets.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
It's a great Hanukkah present, and it's playing now through February 16th, so also a nice Valentine's Day weekend.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And I know a guy, so whenever you want tickets, 10% off, Roy. Okay.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
Prominent real estate brokers with ties to Miami Beach and New York arrested for their involvement in a sex trafficking scheme that dates back over a decade.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
This is one of... the most sensational and salacious stories of power, privilege, and perversion to come out of Miami in quite some time, which is quite an achievement, you have to think, in this town. How much time are we talking about? Like two weeks? Yes, at least in the last two. I would give it two years. But...
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You know, real estate is the number one industry in Miami and Miami is the number two, I think, luxury real estate market in the world behind Dubai, if I'm not mistaken. And the Alexander Brothers and their so-called A-Team are among the top luxury brands. real estate agents in Manhattan, Miami, the Hamptons, I think London, Colorado for a while.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
They're all over the place where there is luxury real estate. I think they're ranked like the number one medium-sized realtor teams in the nation for years running. They've done over a billion dollars a year in transactions. Their celebrity clients included Adam Neumann, Timbaland, Tommy Hilfiger,
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
They sold Ken Griffin his $238 million penthouse in Central Park South in 2019, which was then the most expensive real estate listing in the U.S. In Miami, they were famously Jared and Ivanka's realtor, sold him a $24 million home in the billionaire bunker next to neighbors like Tom Brady. These were like boy wonders and very well known.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And they lived a lifestyle, a high rolling lifestyle that like matched their their clientele as well. And so they were very well known. It turns out not all that well liked. And I will tell you in this story broke five months ago. It was like nobody in Miami was shocked. It was like Harvey Weinstein. It was like this worst kept secret, it seemed.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
We have joining us now the journalism team from The Real Deal, The Preeminent, Real Estate, Periodical, Online, and Elsewhere. This team are the ones who broke the story five months ago. So before we get into the breaking news of just this week, which is the indictments, multiple indictments, Catherine Kalergis and Sheridan Wall
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
You broke this story five months ago, and the story at the time was then civil lawsuits by multiple women against some variation of these of these brothers. There's the twins and then there's another. So give us the lay of the land first on what was the breaking news five months ago before we kind of catch up to where we are today.
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
or the allegations were disturbing. Did a kind of pattern or practice emerge? Was there an M.O. here? Did they occasionally diverge from the M.O.? What did you learn early on about the allegations and how perhaps these alleged predators were preying?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And Catherine, the some of the allegations are these women were victimized by one of the men or one of the brothers. Others claim that there were that I think gang rape is is one of the allegations and in fact, one of the charges now this week. What happened? What are the allegations? What is the the M.O. here?
The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
#BecauseMiami: The Power of the Cuban Sandwich
And a lot of this happened in Miami Beach, I understand, as well, or in and around Miami.