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Article
Courtesy of The Miami Herald
Staff
Report
Published May 25, 2007
In a hearing that lasted two minutes Friday morning,
Joseph Greenberg's attorney surrendered his client to face charges in
relation to a million-dollar kickback scheme at a Hallandale Beach condo.
He
pleaded not guilty to a charge of organized fraud and illegally making
deposits to avoid detection.
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Bond
was set at $32,500.
Greenberg,
83, did not say a word in the courtroom of Broward Circuit
Judge Jeffrey Levenson. He was taken to the other side of
the room and handcuffed to a chair while his lawyer, Scott
Saul, and a bail bondsman left to work out terms of his
bond.
Saul asked Levenson to expedite the
case because Greenberg "takes several medications.''
The next court appearance is set for
Aug. 2.
Greenberg, wearing a black suit and
white dress shirt with an open collar, showed up Friday
morning with his girlfriend, Lilyane Traub, 46, by his side.
As Greenberg and Saul moved away to
talk, Traub cried out, "Joe! Joe! Let me give you a
hug!'' |
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Parker
Plaza Estates residents give police a standing ovation Wednesday
night in appreciation of a investigation into financial kickbacks
between the condo board and contractors. Friday, former association
head Joe Greenberg was in court to turn himself in.
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Saul said briskly: "Get her out of here!''
As an unidentified man escorted Traub out, she was
overheard saying, "He needs his pills.''
Greenberg, a World War II veteran, is accused of being
at the center of a scheme to steal money earmarked for renovations and
upkeep at the 520-unit Parker Plaza Estates condominium.
Hallandale Beach police are expected to make more
arrests in connection with the fraud case at Parker Plaza.
A former condo employee who was out of town is
expected to be arrested when he returns, according to Detective Eric
Williams.
Greenberg, the former condo board president at Parker
Plaza Estates, spent many weekends at casino poker tournaments with Traub.
Neighbors say his lavish lifestyle could have sparked
his alleged involvement in the plot.
Greenberg retired to South Florida in the 1970s after
shutting down his construction business in Canada.
Greenberg has been playing poker professionally for 30
years and travels nationwide to compete in Texas Hold 'Em tournaments, Saul
said.
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