{{Short description|Cuban-American politician (1959–2019)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Alberto Gutman | image = File:Alberto Gutman.jpg | state_senate = Florida | state = Florida | term_start = 1992 | term_end = 1999 | predecessor = [[Lincoln Díaz-Balart]] | successor = [[Alex Díaz de la Portilla]] | district = [[Florida's 34th Senate district|34th]] | state_house1 = Florida | state1 = Florida | district1 = [[Florida's 105th House district|105th]] | term_start1 = 1984 | term_end1 = 1992 | predecessor1 = [[Harold W. Spaet]] | successor1 = [[Michael I. Abrams]] | birth_date = {{birth date|1959|01|04}} | death_date = {{death date and age|2019|02|16|1959|01|04}} | birth_place = [[Havana]], [[Cuba]] | death_place = [[Miami]], [[Florida]], U.S. | party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] | spouse = Marci Rabinowitz | children = 2 | alma_mater = [[Miami Dade College]] ([[Associate of Arts|AA]])<br />[[University of Miami]] ([[Bachelor of Business Administration|BBA]]) }} '''Alberto Gutman''' (January 4, 1959 – February 16, 2019) was a [[Cuban Americans|Cuban-American]] politician. Born to a [[Jewish]]<ref>{{cite news | last = Ovalle | first = David | date = February 18, 2019 | title = Alberto Gutman, popular Miami state lawmaker who went to prison, dies at 60 | url = https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/obituaries/article226437705.html | newspaper = Miami Herald | location = | access-date = February 27, 2019 }}</ref> family in [[Havana]], [[Cuba]], he moved to the [[United States]] when he was 6 years old.

== Early life == He lived and went to school in [[Miami Beach, Florida]].

He entered politics and became a member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]. He was elected Member of [[Florida House of Representatives]], 1984–92;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095046/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/House19672001.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2018|title=House of Representatives|date=13 January 2018}}</ref> member of [[Florida Senate]] [[Florida's 34th Senate district|34th District]], 1992–99.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/Senate18452001.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113095045/http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/fefdl/florida/Senate18452001.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 January 2018|title=Florida Senators|date=13 January 2018}}</ref>

He was a member of the [[Freemasons]], [[B'nai B'rith]], [[Phi Kappa Phi]], and [[Phi Theta Kappa]].<ref>[https://www.flsenate.gov/UserContent/Publications/SenateHandbooks/pdf/96-98_Senate_Handbook.pdf The Florida Senate Handbook 1996–1998]</ref>

He was married and had two daughters.

==Career== [[File:Florida State Legislators Smoking Cigars.jpg|thumb|right|Gutman smoking cigars with members of the [[Florida House of Representatives]]]] [[File:Florida State Senator Alberto Gutman addressing his colleagues in the Senate chamber.jpg|thumb|right|Gutman addressing his colleagues in the Senate chamber]] [[File:Father Sergio Carrillo meets with members of Dade County delegation.jpg|thumb|right|Gutman listening to Father Sergio Carrillo of St.John the Apostle Church in [[Hialeah, Florida]], along with other members of the [[Florida House of Representatives]]]] In 1992 he won his first election to the Florida Senate defeating [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Kendall Coffey.

Gutman accused his opponent in the 1998 senatorial election of using [[Afro-American religion|voodoo]] against him after [[Santería]] paraphernalia was tossed at him and scattered on his vehicle by his opponent's supporters;{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} Gutman won the election.

== Resignation and Conviction == He was indicted on 32 counts for benefiting from a fake health care company that he had set up to defraud Medicare of $15,000,000. Gutman then resigned his post as Chairman of the Florida Senate Health Care Committee over alleged improprieties in brokering a Medicaid health plan during his term as vice chairman of the committee.

He was charged with conspiracy, money laundering, and witness tampering. He was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison with three year’s probation, ordered to pay victims $98,175 in restitution and fined $50,000 in 1999.<ref>[http://articles.sun-sentinel.com Archived copy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813121041/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/|date=2018-08-13}}, May 1, 2000, Tough Sentence For Corruption, [https://web.archive.org/web/20141025201248/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2000-05-01/news/0004300318_1_medicare-fraud-alberto-gutman-plea]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/FL/trouble.html|title=The Political Graveyard: Politicians in Trouble or Disgrace: Florida|website=politicalgraveyard.com|accessdate=24 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = June 18, 1998 | title = Corruption Count Rising in Florida | author = MIKE CLARY, TIMES STAFF WRITER | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jun-18-mn-61228-story.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper= [[The New York Times]] | date = April 29, 2000 | title = Ex-Florida State Senator Gets 5 Years for Fraud |agency=Associated Press | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/29/us/national-news-briefs-ex-florida-state-senator-gets-5-years-for-fraud.html}}</ref>

==Death== Gutman died on February 16, 2019, at his home in [[Miami]], [[Florida]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/herald/name/alberto-gutman-obituary?id=7511783|title=Alberto Gutman Obituary (1959 - 2019) - Miami, FL - the Miami Herald|website=Legacy.com|accessdate=24 March 2023}}</ref>

==Electoral history== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Date || Position || Status || Opponent || Result || Vote share || Top-opponent vote share |- | 1984 || [[Florida House of Representatives|State Representative]] || [[Incumbent]] || Harold W. Spaet (D) || Elected || 58.01%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=224780|title=Our Campaigns - FL State House 105 Race - Nov 06, 1984|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 41.99% |- | 1986 || [[Florida House of Representatives|State Representative]] || [[Incumbent]] || A. J. Daoud (D) || Re-elected || 63.40%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=226255|title=Our Campaigns - FL State House 105 Race - Nov 04, 1986|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 36.60% |- | 1988 || [[Florida House of Representatives|State Representative]] || [[Incumbent]] || Ran unopposed || Re-elected || 100.00%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=226686|title=Our Campaigns - FL State House 105 Race - Nov 08, 1988|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 0% |- | 1990 || [[Florida House of Representatives|State Representative]] || [[Incumbent]] || Steve Leifman (D) || Re-elected || 58.89%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=216599|title=Our Campaigns - FL State House 105 Race - Nov 06, 1990|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 41.11% |- | 1992 || [[Florida Senate|State Senator]] || Open-seat || Kendall Coffey (D) || Elected || 56.68%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=219558|title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 34 Race - Nov 03, 1992|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 43.32% |- | 1994 || [[Florida Senate|State Senator]] || [[Incumbent]] || Ran unopposed || Re-elected || 100.00%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=219596|title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 34 Race - Nov 08, 1994|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 0% |- | 1998 || [[Florida Senate|State Senator]] || [[Incumbent]] || Agustin "Gus" Garcia (D) || Re-elected || 50.23%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=7801|title=Our Campaigns - FL State Senate 34 Race - Nov 03, 1998|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> || 49.77% |- |}

==References== <references />

== External links == * [https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/24316/alberto-gutman#.Wy_VYBen_IU Project Vote Smart – Alberto Gutman (FL)] profile * [https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=8125 Our Campaigns – Alberto Gutman (FL)] profile * [http://www.orlandoweekly.com/columns/story.asp?id=986 "Governors pledge to reach out and touch"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806145817/http://www2.orlandoweekly.com/columns/story.asp?id=986 |date=2012-08-06 }}, Chuck Shepherd, ''Orlando Weekly'', November 30, 1998. * [http://www.sptimes.com/News/041400/Floridian/All_American_Al.shtml "All-American Al"], BILL DURYEA, ''St. Petersburg Times'', April 14, 2000

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-fl-hs}} {{s-bef | before = Harold Spaet }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the [[Florida House of Representatives]]<br />from the [[Florida's 105th House district|105th]] district | years = 1984–1992 }} {{s-aft | after = Michael Abrams }} |- {{s-par|us-fl-sen}} {{s-bef | before = [[Lincoln Díaz-Balart]] }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of the [[Florida Senate]]<br />from the [[Florida's 34th Senate district|34th district]] | years = 1992–1999 }} {{s-aft | after = [[Alex Díaz de la Portilla]] }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gutman, Alberto}} [[Category:1959 births]] [[Category:2019 deaths]] [[Category:American people of Cuban-Jewish descent]] [[Category:Cuban emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:Miami Dade College alumni]] [[Category:University of Miami Business School alumni]] [[Category:Republican Party Florida state senators]] [[Category:Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives]] [[Category:Florida politicians convicted of crimes]] [[Category:American politicians of Cuban descent]] [[Category:Jewish state legislators in Florida]] [[Category:21st-century American Jews]] [[Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Florida]] [[Category:20th-century members of the Florida Legislature]]