Former Plantation Mayor Vera-Lynn Stoner faces charges of illegally attempting to help Invesca Development Group advance its project.
While serving as an elected official, Stoner sent a letter from the mayor’s office falsely claiming that Strata Group LLC had a standing violation — allegedly an attempt to Help the company get a loan office. Additionally, Stoner is accused of pushing plantation construction officials to allow Strata Group to build a project called Pixl without the proper permits.
Strata Group is related to the plantation-based Invesca Development Group led by Michael and Shaw, according to national corporate records.
Invesca’s Pixl project is a planned 330-unit multifamily development located on 6.7 acres at 4300 Northwest Ninth Court in Plantation. In September, the company secured a $76.5 million construction loan for Pixl and filed a notice to start shortly thereafter.
Invesca’s website also lists Plantation’s planned Strata community, describing it as a 147-townhouse development with 21 buildings on 13 acres.
Stoner, 69, sent a letter from the mayor’s office in 2020 saying the development was under development after a building official refused to give in to what she called a request to write the letter, according to a news release from the state’s attorney’s office. The dealer has cleared the violation. In 2020, Stoner “attempted to coerce, deceive, persuade or otherwise influence” the officer to “do her a favor” and write the letter, the release said.
Prosecutors did not specify which Invesca project the letter was allegedly intended to help.
Stoner surrendered to authorities on Tuesday and was released on her own recognizance. She was charged with one count of official misconduct and falsification of records, and two counts of influencing building officials.
Her attorney, Larry Davis, said she will plead not guilty at an arraignment expected in two to three weeks.
“Plantation is one of only two cities in Broward County that have a strong mayoral form of government,” Davis said. “[Former] Mayor Stoner is exercising her executive powers under the city charter. ”
Unlike the weak mayoral form of local government, where the mayor plays a largely ceremonial role, the strong mayoral system allows the Crown to have broad executive powers.
Neither Invesca nor its executives have been named or named by the state’s attorney’s office.
The company could not be reached for comment as calls to Invesca’s office did not return calls.
Bernard Hsiao also did not answer calls and text messages sent to the phone number listed for him.
Invesca, founded in 2001 by the late Christopher Forest Longsworth, also provides property and construction management services, according to its website. Its projects include the planned 10-story Modulus condos, as well as Strata and Pixl. The three developments aim to be one master-planned community.
Longsworth died in 2021 at the age of 36. Michael and Bernard Hsiao now lead the company.
