Commissioners Marlon Bolton and Elvin Villalobos.
Tamarac Commissioner Elvin Villalobos on Monday said he was seeking legal counsel to file suit against fellow Commissioner Marlon Bolton over what he called “malicious” libel in stories published on Tamarac Post, a purported news website tied to Bolton.
He says the site, linked through state records and digital evidence to Bolton and several of his political allies, has published numerous false and misleading claims about Villalobos and digitally altered images of the commissioner.
One of the manipulated photos shows Villalobos drinking from a whiskey bottle, another shows him wearing women’s earrings, and a third shows his face covered in clown makeup.
“The circulation of doctored images online has become a significant concern, as these distortions mislead the public and compromise the integrity of information,” Villalobos said in a press release Monday. “I strongly condemn such misinformation, as it undermines our community’s foundational trust in shared information. I encourage everyone to approach online content with discernment and question the authenticity of the visuals they encounter online, especially those from problematic sources [like Tamarac Post].”
Bolton has repeatedly sent the site’s articles in email blasts to thousands of Tamarac residents. Although he advertises on the site, he did not respond to an email seeking comment on this story.
Villalobos said he was addressing Tamarac Post’s reporting about him “head-on” in order to “clear the air about the disinformation attacking my character” and underscore his “dedication to ethical service and [to clarify] several misconceptions” caused by Tamarac Post stories.
Villalobos said the site’s articles raised questions about his ethics by using “malicious” disinformation and demonstrably false claims.
He said he contacted attorneys over the weekend about filing a defamation action against Tamarac Post, its representatives named in state business filings, and Bolton, who Villalobos alleges oversees the site and writes its stories.
According to Red Broward, Tamarac Post Media LLC was created in July 2020 by Anthony Bonamy, a Bolton political ally whose LinkedIn page identifies him as the Small Business Development Manager for Miami-Dade County. A May press release from Miami-Dade’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development identifies Bonamy as a county employee and media contact for the office.
When Red Broward asked Bonamy in 2021 why his company was behind Tamarac Post’s establishment as an LLC, he claimed he did not “run” the website but admitted to owning its domain, Red Broward reported.
Bonamy claimed he did not know who posted articles on Tamarac Post, according to Red Broward, and said his wife was set to take over posting duties in May 2021.
That month, Tamarac Post Media LLC officially informed the state it had a new managing member, a Tamarac-based company called One Millennial Media LLC, according to RedBroward and state business records.
One Millennial Media (OMM) was established in 2020 and is currently managed by Bonamy’s wife, Violene Vil, the records show. Vil’s LinkedIn page identifies her as the communications manager for the National Haitian-American Elected Officials Network.
“Communication specialist Violene Vil is the youngest in her family to create an independent business,” the page states. “OMM is the apex of public relations” in the area.
Vil did not respond to an email seeking comment for this article.
Tamarac Talk requested information from the state about advertising revenue or other income reported by OMM since Tamarac Post solicits paid ads on its site.
Will Butler, a Florida Department of Revenue spokesman, said taxpayer information is confidential under Florida Statutes.
Ben Wilcox, research director for the government watchdog group Integrity Florida, said Bolton should make known any interest he has in Tamarac Post.
“Whether you had a hand in its creation or are able to influence these purported news stories that are published by the website, disclosing your interest would be the ethical approach,” said Wilcox. “But that’s probably going to defeat his political purposes for doing it.”
Wilcox said he’s accustomed to seeing misleading information in political ads but has never seen a purported news outlet established primarily to attack political opponents.
“This really does seem to be taking it to a new level, to create your own fake [online] newspaper and then attack your opponent under what is basically a false flag.”
Past Tamarac Post stories have accused Villalobos of a number of misdeeds, including misuse of city resources and improper spending of taxpayer money during a lobbyist dinner in Washington, D.C., in March 2023. Villalobos said the claims are false.
A report by the Broward Office of the Inspector General uncovered potential violations of Broward County’s ethics law stemming from the dinner, which was attended by Tamarac’s federal lobbyist, City Manager Levent Sucuoglu and four city commission members, including Bolton and Villalobos.
The OIG report, which did not accuse either commissioner of misconduct, aimed to “remind all Broward’s elected officials to be cognizant of gifts they may be receiving, as to not run afoul of the gift prohibitions in the Ethics Code,” the report stated.
Villalobos said Bolton also made a complaint about him to the Florida Commission on Ethics alleging he had urged Tamarac officials to purchase an electric vehicle for his personal use.
In fact, said Villalobos, “the decision to use a city vehicle was proposed by the commission during a workshop and commission meeting to save the taxpayers money and eliminate the $700 car allowance” commission members receive each month.
“For nearly a year, I did not accept the car allowance,” Villalobos said in his press release. “I utilized mileage reimbursement per the IRS reimbursement guidelines, which involved an approval process by [Tamarac’s] finance auditor, finance director, and city manager.”
Villalobos said that in an effort to promote eco-friendly initiatives, Sucuoglu purchased two vehicles assigned as “fleet vehicles” for use by commissioners and city staff.
“I did not make any requests for a specific make or model of vehicle,” he said. “I used the city vehicle for two weeks and then returned it.”
Villalobos said a different Tamarac Post article made inaccurate claims about a civil case involving around $8,000 Villalobos owed American Express, a debt he said he incurred “due to a misunderstanding about payment arrangements and misdirected billing statements.”
“I am actively resolving the issue as swiftly as possible,” he said.
The commissioner said the Tamarac Post also incorrectly reported that Villalobos was evicted from his office at King’s Point Plaza.
“While it is true that a legal filing categorized the termination of my office lease at King’s Point Plaza as an ‘eviction,’ it’s important to clarify the circumstances surrounding this matter,” the press release states. “The landlord and I reached a mutual agreement allowing me to be released from the lease without pursuing any additional fees or charges. Both parties came to a resolution professionally and amicably, and I continue to enjoy supporting both the plaza owner and the businesses there.”
Villalobos has been the commissioner for Tamarac’s District 3 since 2020. The father of two is running for reelection, with challenger Krystal Patterson seeking to unseat him.
Tamarac Mayor Michelle Gomez, who said she’s also been the subject of Tamarac Post articles containing false or misleading claims, alleged the stories about Villalobos were published “with the intent to harm his reputation” and impact his job.
“This is misinformation and disinformation,” said Gomez, who is also an attorney. “It’s ridiculous and purely an attempt to hurt somebody.”
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