Developers Plead Guilty in Public Corruption Case

Father and son developers strike deal to avoid prison time

Father and son developers Bruce and Shawn Chait escaped prison time after both pleaded guilty to unlawful compensation in a Broward courtroom Thursday.

The Chaits were sentenced to four years probation, after they gave prosecutors critical information that they paid off local politicians. 

It was a high-profile public corruption case that stemmed from a controversial housing project in Tamarac.  It's a project where former Broward County Commissioner Josephus Eggelletion and the Chaits admitted to bribes, and the former Commissioner accepted $3,200 for a Country Club membership.

According to court documents,  Bruce Chait, 62, and Shawn Chait, 37,  admitted to greasing the palms of elected officials in order to close the deal on a plan to build more than 700 single family and townhomes near the Florida Turnpike off of Commercial Boulevard.  But several years later, the land is an eyesore for residents in the area.

Tamarac resident Caroline Biddle is furious that the developers of the land, the Chaits, owners of Prestige Homes for the Sabal Palm site, have done nothing. 

"If they want to do the right thing, they should build a park, or sell it back to the City, or at least maintain it," Biddle said.

"The upkeep has been terrible, " said resident Pam Simons. "They haven't been here in three to four months." 

Residents feel betrayed, not only by the City of Tamarac but by the Chaits and their empty promises.  But the Chaits' attorney says his clients are doing taxpayers a service.

"We're dealing with individuals who stepped up and said 'this is what I did wrong and this is what I should do about it,'" said attorney David Bogenschutz. "It doesn't make them heroes, but it certainly doesn't make them at the same level as individuals that they may have had corrupt issues with." 

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