After Angelica Pacheco’s removal from office following her arrest on federal healthcare fraud charges, the city of Hialeah has appointed 38-year-old Melinda De La Vega as an interim council member.
De La Vega will hold the position until a special election is conducted in November 2025 to elect a permanent council member.
Although De La Vega lacks political experience, she currently serves as vice president of the Hialeah Lions Club, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the elderly, individuals with special needs, and families in need. Her community service background is considered a valuable asset, according to council members. De La Vega has a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and human resources and is a member of Hialeah’s Historic Preservation Board.
De La Vega’s appointment was approved with five votes in favor from Jesus Tundidor, Monica Perez, Jacqueline Garcia-Roves, Carl Zogby, and Luis Rodriguez, while Bryan Calvo was the sole dissenting vote. Calvo criticized the timing of the special council meeting, which was scheduled for mid-July, arguing that the council should have convened earlier after Pacheco’s removal on June 25.
Former Councilwoman Angelica Pacheco surrendered to the FBI last Thursday after being indicted on healthcare fraud charges. Pacheco is accused of billing private insurers millions of dollars for services at her addiction treatment center, Florida Life Recovery and Rehabilitation LLC.
The grand jury indictment alleges that Pacheco’s business submitted $19.1 million in fraudulent bills to multiple insurance companies, including Aetna, between July 2017 and August 2020. The business, which shut down in 2022, was registered by her husband, Daniel Pacheco, who has not been charged.
The indictment also accuses Pacheco of defrauding the U.S. government by filing false business loan applications during the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming her business was not engaged in illegal activities when applying for loans. Four companies owned by the Pacheco family reportedly received over $500,000 in federal Paycheck Protection Program and other pandemic loans. Pacheco has claimed these funds were used to pay employees and sustain the businesses.
Read: Hialeah Councilwoman arrested for multimillion dollar healthcare fraud
