The Monroe County State Attorney’s Office announced on Nov. 19 that a grand jury returned an additional indictment charging Raj Ramsingh, Key West’s former chief building official, and George Beys, owner of George’s Plumbing, in connection with an alleged organized fraud scheme exceeding $50,000.
The indictment charges both men with conspiracy to commit organized fraud and organized fraud, both of which are felonies.
The charges stem from Ramsingh and Beys allegedly doing work on a home that exceeded the scope of issued permits and failing to obtain necessary permits and inspections, a source close to the investigation said.
The new indictment brings the total to 18 felony counts of public order crimes for Ramsingh, who is accused of issuing improper building permits to friends and associates, changing permitting records in the city’s software system, issuing permits for his own property renovation at 2827 Harris Ave. and deleting text messages to impede an investigation.
As with any criminal charge, an indictment is a formal accusation and does not constitute a finding of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Prosecutor Colleen Dunne has said the investigation is ongoing.
The day after his indictment, Beys posted to his company’s Facebook page, stating, “Earlier today I learned of criminal charges filed by a Monroe County grand jury that name me in connection with an investigation also involving former city officials. … I am not guilty of any fraud or wrongdoing. I categorically deny the allegations in the indictment. Because these are active legal matters, I cannot — and will not — comment on the specifics of the investigation or the evidence. I am cooperating with the legal process and am working closely with counsel to clear my name as quickly as possible.”
Permit problems for Ramsingh
Raj Ramsingh, the former building official once described in a text message from a coworker as “handing permits out like Halloween candy,” is now on the other side of the city’s permit application process.
In addition to his legal problems, Ramsingh is dealing with the city’s planning department in applying for after-the-fact permits and variances for work he conducted on his own property at 2827 Harris Ave., which involved replacing a small cottage with a 5-bedroom, 5-bath, $1.9 million home.
The city’s planning department, which Ramsingh is accused of bypassing or overruling when he worked for the city, has to decide whether to recommend that the appointed planning board members grant him the needed permits and variances now that the work has been completed and the house is for sale.
Ramsingh’s application to the planning board for after-the-fact variances has been postponed twice. In October, the planning department staff asked for additional time because the site plans and drawings they had received from Ramsingh did not match what had been built at 2827 Harris Ave. At the Nov. 20 planning board meeting, Ramsingh was the one requesting the postponement until the Dec. 18 meeting. Planning board chair Peter Batty told the Keys Weekly that Ramsingh had indicated that the revised and updated site plans and drawings were not yet ready.
The after-the-fact variance is needed because the house that was built on Harris Avenue exceeds the maximum size and amount of ground coverage that is allowed on that lot.
At the October planning board meeting, acting planning director Jim Singelyn told the board that he can’t make decisions or recommendations without accurate site plans and drawings. Singelyn described a “giant tiki hut” in the backyard that isn’t shown on the drawings. In addition, a door exists where a window is indicated and roof overhangs were built without being included in the plans.
The 2827 Harris Ave. variance will be considered at the Dec. 18 planning board meeting.
